William James Glackens

William Glackens established his artistic reputation at the turn of the century with uncompromising modern depictions of urban life. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he took night classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts while working as an artist-reporter for a local newspaper. He later moved to New York City, where he became one of the nation's premier commercial illustrators, a profession that provided him the stable income that enabled him to pursue painting.