Henry Salem Hubbell is best known for his figure and genre subjects, inspired by the subtle tonalism of James MacNeill Whistler as well as by Japanese prints. Widely admired by his fellow artists and by many prominent collectors, Hubbell's paintings were acquired by such notable figures as William Merritt Chase, Baron Rothschild and Booth Tarkington.
A native of Paola, Kansas, Hubbell began his artistic training at the Art Institute of Chicago during the early 1890s. In 1898 he traveled to Paris, enrolling in classes at the Académie Julian, where he was taught by Raphael Collin, Jean-Paul Laurens, and Benjamin Constant. Later, in 1901, Hubbell continued his training at the Académie Carmen, studying under Whistler. Impressed by his student's skills, Whistler is known to have predicted that some day "the world will know him as a colorist."
In 1909, Hubbell lived and worked in the village of Giverny, situated about forty miles northwest of Paris. There, he associated with several members of the Anglo-American art colony, including the sculptor-painter, Frederick MacMonnies and his wife, Mary Fairchild. He was also one of only a few Americans to develop a friendship with Claude Monet. During these years in France, Hubbell exhibited his work at the Paris Salon, winning awards in both 1901 and 1904. He also contributed to the annual exhibitions of the National Academy of Design in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago.
Hubbell established his studio in New York City in 1911. However a year later, he moved to Silvermine, Connecticut, remaining there until 1916. From 1918 until 1921, he served as Professor of Painting and Decoration at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. In 1925 he moved to Florida, joining the faculty of the University of Miami. He remained in Miami until his death in 1949. Later in his career, Hubbell turned increasingly to portraiture.
Examples of Hubbell's work can be found in many public and private collections, including the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the Lille Museum, the Vanderpoel Collection in Chicago, and the Union League Club in Philadelphia. In 1975, a retrospective exhibition of his work was held at the Lowe Art Museum, in Coral Gables, Florida.
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