William Zorach

William Zorach was an American sculptor, painter, printmaker, and writer. He won the Logan Medal of the Arts in 1927. He was at the forefront of American artists embracing cubism.

He is the husband of Marguerite Thompson Zorach and father of Dahlov Ipcar, both artists in their own right.

While in Paris, Zorach met Marguerite Thompson (1887-1968), an art student and fellow American, whom he married on December 24, 1912, in New York City. The couple adopted his original given name, Zorach, as a common surname. Zorach and his wife returned to America where they continued to experiment with different media. In 1913, works by both Zorach and Marguerite, were included in the now famous Armory Show, introducing his work to the general public as well as art critics and collectors. Both William and Marguerite were heavily influenced by cubism and fauvism. They are credited as being among the premier artists to introduce European styles to American modernism. During the next seven years, Zorach established himself as a painter, frequently displaying his paintings in gallery shows as venues such as the Society of Independent Artists and the Whitney Studio Club. While Marguerite began to experiment with textiles and created large, fine art tapestries and hooked rugs, William began to experiment with sculpture, which would become his primary medium.

In 1915, William and Marguerite started their family with the birth of their son, Tessim. Their daughter, Dahlov Ipcar, was born in 1917, and would later also work as an artist. While the Zorach family spent their winters in New York, their summers were divided between New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Notably, they spent a few summers in Plainfield, New Hampshire at the Cornish Art Colony, renting Echo Farm which was owned by their friend and fellow artist Henry Fitch Taylor. It was here that their daughter was born, all the while producing various prints depicting country life. He was also a member of the Provincetown Printers art colony in Massachusetts.

In 1923, the Zorach family purchased a farm on Georgetown Island, Maine where they resided, worked, and entertained guests. Zorach was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1953.

Text courtesy of Wikipedia, 2024