Alphaeus Philemon Cole
Encyclopedia
Alphaeus Philemon Cole was an American artist, engraver and etcher. He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey
and died in New York City. He was the son of noted engraver Timothy Cole
. At the time of his death, at age 112 years and 136 days, Alphaeus was the world's oldest verified living recognized man
.
, and later at the École des Beaux-Arts
. In the mid-1890s, he began to produce many vibrant works, mostly various still life
s and portraits. His painting of Dante
was exhibited in the 1900 Paris Salon
, and more artwork was displayed at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition
in Buffalo, New York
.
Cole moved to England and married sculptress Margaret Ward Walmsley in 1903. He began to venture into the fields of wood/steel engraving and etching, but these works sold predominantly less than his portraits. He contributed several drawings to the Encyclopædia Britannica
. They moved again, to the United States, in 1911. In 1918, Cole became a member of the Salmagundi Club
, the nation's oldest professional art club. From 1924 to 1931, he taught portrait
and still life
classes at Cooper Union
. He was elected to the National Academy of Design
in 1930. He was the president of the New York Water Color Club from 1931 to 1941. In the 1940s, Cole worked as a judge of paintings in Max Pochapin's Manhattan Hall of Art, a merchandising art gallery, which was a revolutionary idea at the time. From 1952 to 1953, he was president of Allied Artists of America. His first wife died in 1961, and Cole married Anita Rio, a singer, and the widow of painter Eugene Higgins, in 1962. She died in 1973.
Cole actively painted and exhibited up to the age of 103. He died at New York's Chelsea Hotel
, where he had lived for 35 years. Cole's work is in the permanent collections of London's National Portrait Gallery and the Brooklyn Museum
, and his papers are stored at the Smithsonian Institution
.
Although not recognized at the time, Cole is now recognized as the oldest living man for more than a year, between January 5, 1987 to his death, succeeding another notable supercentenarian
, 111-year-old Norwegian skier Herman Smith-Johannsen
. He was succeeded in title by then 111-year-old John Evans
. He is also the first man ever to undisputedly reach the age of 112. Prices for Cole's works now reach $5,000 or more. When he died at the age of 112 years 136 days, Cole had staked his claim as being the oldest known artist ever.
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
and died in New York City. He was the son of noted engraver Timothy Cole
Timothy Cole
Timothy Cole was an American wood engraver born in London, England, his family emigrated to the United States in 1858.He established himself in Chicago, where in the great fire of 1871 he lost everything he possessed...
. At the time of his death, at age 112 years and 136 days, Alphaeus was the world's oldest verified living recognized man
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
.
Biography
Cole studied art first under Isaac Craig, in Italy, then in Paris from 1892 to 1901 with Jean Paul Laurens and Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant at the Académie JulianAcadémie Julian
The Académie Julian was an art school in Paris, France.Rodolphe Julian established the Académie Julian in 1868 at the Passage des Panoramas, as a private studio school for art students. The Académie Julian not only prepared students to the exams at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, but offered...
, and later at the École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
. In the mid-1890s, he began to produce many vibrant works, mostly various still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
s and portraits. His painting of Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
was exhibited in the 1900 Paris Salon
Paris Salon
The Salon , or rarely Paris Salon , beginning in 1725 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Between 1748–1890 it was the greatest annual or biannual art event in the Western world...
, and more artwork was displayed at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition
Pan-American Exposition
The Pan-American Exposition was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York, United States, from May 1 through November 2, 1901. The fair occupied of land on the western edge of what is present day Delaware Park, extending from Delaware Ave. to Elmwood Ave and northward to Great Arrow...
in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
Cole moved to England and married sculptress Margaret Ward Walmsley in 1903. He began to venture into the fields of wood/steel engraving and etching, but these works sold predominantly less than his portraits. He contributed several drawings to the Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
. They moved again, to the United States, in 1911. In 1918, Cole became a member of the Salmagundi Club
Salmagundi Club
The Salmagundi Club, also known as the Salmagundi Art Club, was founded in 1871 in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, in the United States. It currently is located at 47 Fifth Avenue...
, the nation's oldest professional art club. From 1924 to 1931, he taught portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
and still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
classes at Cooper Union
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
. He was elected to the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
in 1930. He was the president of the New York Water Color Club from 1931 to 1941. In the 1940s, Cole worked as a judge of paintings in Max Pochapin's Manhattan Hall of Art, a merchandising art gallery, which was a revolutionary idea at the time. From 1952 to 1953, he was president of Allied Artists of America. His first wife died in 1961, and Cole married Anita Rio, a singer, and the widow of painter Eugene Higgins, in 1962. She died in 1973.
Cole actively painted and exhibited up to the age of 103. He died at New York's Chelsea Hotel
Chelsea Hotel
Chelsea Hotel can refer to:*Hotel Chelsea in New York City*"Chelsea Hotel #2", a song from the 1974 Leonard Cohen album New Skin for the Old Ceremony*Chelsea Hotel, a book of photographs by Claudio Edinger, published in 1983See also...
, where he had lived for 35 years. Cole's work is in the permanent collections of London's National Portrait Gallery and the Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
, and his papers are stored at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
.
Although not recognized at the time, Cole is now recognized as the oldest living man for more than a year, between January 5, 1987 to his death, succeeding another notable supercentenarian
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
, 111-year-old Norwegian skier Herman Smith-Johannsen
Herman Smith-Johannsen
Herman "Jackrabbit" Smith-Johannsen, CM was a Norwegian-Canadian supercentenarian who gained widespread recognition for being one of the first people to introduce the sport of cross-country skiing to Canada and North America...
. He was succeeded in title by then 111-year-old John Evans
John Evans (supercentenarian)
John Evans of Fforestfach, Swansea was the longest-lived authenticated man ever from the United Kingdom from 27 May 1989 until 29 March 2009, when Henry Allingham broke his record...
. He is also the first man ever to undisputedly reach the age of 112. Prices for Cole's works now reach $5,000 or more. When he died at the age of 112 years 136 days, Cole had staked his claim as being the oldest known artist ever.