John Vanderpoel
Encyclopedia
John Henry Vanderpoel was a Dutch-American artist and teacher, best known as an instructor of figure drawing. His book The Human Figure, a standard art school resource featuring numerous of his drawings based on his teaching at the Art Institute of Chicago, was published in 1907.
Born in the Haarlemmer-Meer
, Holland, at the age of eleven Vanderpoel emigrated with his family to the United States. He studied at the Chicago Academy of Design, which later became the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1886 he went to Europe, studying for two years at Académie Julian
in Paris with Gustave Boulanger
and Jules Lefebvre.
Vanderpoel exhibited five paintings at the World's Columbian Exposition
in Chicago in 1893, was a member of several artists societies and was elected president of the Chicago Society of Artists. He received a bronze medal at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
of 1904 in St. Louis. Vanderpoel also created murals, including one on the ceiling of a theater at DePaul University
and a sixty-foot painting at a Los Angeles hotel. In spite of his successes as a muralist and easel painter, Vanderpoel was better known as an instructor at the Art Institute, where he taught from 1880 until 1910. He was an influential teacher who adhered to the beaux arts
tradition while denouncing modernism. Among Vanderpoel's many students were artists J. C. Leyendecker
, Frederick Carl Frieseke
, and Georgia O'Keeffe
, who wrote in her autobiography that Vanderpoel was "one of the few real teachers I have known."
In 1910, Vanderpoel moved to St. Louis, accepting an offer from Edward Gardner Lewis
to join the faculty of People's University as head of the Art Academy's drawing and painting department. He died in St. Louis on May 2, 1911 of heart disease, and was survived by a widow and two children. Two years after his death, the Vanderpoel Memorial Art Galleries were established in Chicago. The collection features works by Vanderpoel, including drawings which were published in The Human Figure, as well as those of other artists associated with Chicago. The collection now numbers over five hundred pieces. A street and an elementary school in Chicago are named in his honor.
Born in the Haarlemmer-Meer
Haarlemmermeer
Haarlemmermeer is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is a polder, consisting of land reclaimed from water, and the name Haarlemmermeer means Haarlem's Lake, still referring to the body of water from which the region was reclaimed in the 19th century.Its main...
, Holland, at the age of eleven Vanderpoel emigrated with his family to the United States. He studied at the Chicago Academy of Design, which later became the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1886 he went to Europe, studying for two years at Académie Julian
Académie 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...
in Paris with Gustave Boulanger
Gustave Boulanger
Gustave Clarence Rodolphe Boulanger was a French figure painter known for his Neo-Grec style. He was born at Paris, studied with Delaroche and Jollivet, and in 1849 took the Prix de Rome. His paintings are prime examples of academic art of the time, particularly history painting...
and Jules Lefebvre.
Vanderpoel exhibited five paintings at the World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in Chicago in 1893, was a member of several artists societies and was elected president of the Chicago Society of Artists. He received a bronze medal at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
of 1904 in St. Louis. Vanderpoel also created murals, including one on the ceiling of a theater at DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
and a sixty-foot painting at a Los Angeles hotel. In spite of his successes as a muralist and easel painter, Vanderpoel was better known as an instructor at the Art Institute, where he taught from 1880 until 1910. He was an influential teacher who adhered to the beaux arts
Beaux arts
Beaux Arts, Beaux arts, or Beaux-Arts may refer to:* Académie des Beaux-Arts, a French arts institution * Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, a Belgian arts school* Beaux-Arts architecture, an architectural style...
tradition while denouncing modernism. Among Vanderpoel's many students were artists J. C. Leyendecker
J. C. Leyendecker
Joseph Christian Leyendecker was one of the pre-eminent American illustrators of the early 20th century. He is best known for his poster, book and advertising illustrations, the trade character known as The Arrow Collar Man, and his numerous covers for The Saturday Evening Post. Between 1896 and...
, Frederick Carl Frieseke
Frederick Carl Frieseke
Frederick Carl Frieseke was an American Impressionist painter who spent most of his life as an expatriate in France. An influential member of the Giverny art colony, his paintings often concentrated on various effects of dappled sunlight...
, and Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia Totto O'Keeffe was an American artist.Born near Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, O'Keeffe first came to the attention of the New York art community in 1916, several decades before women had gained access to art training in America’s colleges and universities, and before any of its women artists...
, who wrote in her autobiography that Vanderpoel was "one of the few real teachers I have known."
In 1910, Vanderpoel moved to St. Louis, accepting an offer from Edward Gardner Lewis
Edward Gardner Lewis
Edward Gardner Lewis was a flamboyant and controversial promoter, magazine publisher, political activist, and founder of two utopian colonies -- University City, Missouri, and Atascadero, California....
to join the faculty of People's University as head of the Art Academy's drawing and painting department. He died in St. Louis on May 2, 1911 of heart disease, and was survived by a widow and two children. Two years after his death, the Vanderpoel Memorial Art Galleries were established in Chicago. The collection features works by Vanderpoel, including drawings which were published in The Human Figure, as well as those of other artists associated with Chicago. The collection now numbers over five hundred pieces. A street and an elementary school in Chicago are named in his honor.