Scott, William E. (William Edouard), 1884-1964

William Edouard Scott was born in Indianapolis in 1884. He moved to Chicago and attended the School of Art Institute of Chicago. During his time in Chicago he painted murals around the city, one of which was Commerce, which is still lauded today as remarkable. He learned much of his palette and impressionist technique, during his travels to France. While abroad he studied at the Académie Julien and Académie Colarossi and was mentored by Henry O. Tanner, a famous African American artist who moved to Paris to avoid racial prejudice against his art. Training in Paris, Scott was able to build a reputation for himself more easily than his race would have allowed him in America. Perhaps because of this, he seemed more conservative in his portrayals of the "New Negro" than others in the movement, and sometimes painted scenes that had nothing to do with race at all. After his formal education was complete, Scott received a Rosewald Foundation grant and traveled to Haiti to paint those who had "maintained their African heritage". Later he traveled to Alabama to study blacks in different communities in the South. By refusing to paint blacks as only slaves and laborers (as so many before him had), Scott hoped to "reverse the stereotypical perceptions of African Americans and eventually foster an understanding among races". When he returned to Chicago, Scott continued with that goal as he portrayed "blacks on canvas in positions of prominence doing noble deeds" throughout the portraits and murals he created for the rest of his life. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Edouard_Scott)

From the description of Papers, 1884-2007 (Chicago Public Library). WorldCat record id: 773740827

Muralist, portrait artist, illustrator, painter. Graduate of the Chicago Art Institute, studied with Henry O. Tanner in Paris.

From the guide to the William Edouard Scott collection, 1930-1960, (The New York Public Library. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division.)

Muralist, portrait artist, illustrator, painter.

Graduate of the Chicago Art Institute, studied with Henry O. Tanner in Paris.

From the description of William Edouard Scott collection, 1930-1960. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122486180