Sears Gallagher  (1869   -   1955)  Works

Sears Gallagher (1869 – 1955)

Recognized as one of America's most prolific etchers and watercolorists in the early twentieth century, Sears Gallagher was famous for his depictions of landscapes across New England and Europe. Born in Boston in 1869, Gallagher studied drawing with the Italian artist, Tomasso Juglaris, and watercolor with Samuel P.R. Triscott. In 1887, his drawing “Evening News” was accepted into the Boston Art Club’s annual exhibition. He continued his art education at the Académie Julian in Paris from 1895 to 1896 under the direction of Benjamin Constant and Jean-Paul Laurens. During Gallagher’s time abroad, he spent summers visiting popular artist colonies across Europe, such as Grèz-sur-Loing in France.

Upon returning to Boston, Gallagher worked as an artist reporter for a local newspaper and illustrated textbooks. However, he quickly established himself as an accomplished artist of etchings and watercolors. By 1920, he had produced 138 etchings of historic streets and landmarks around Boston and various seascapes from his summers spent in Maine, as well as Plymouth and Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Gallagher exhibited at major national annuals in the United States and had several solo shows in Boston. His work also appeared in Parisian salons and at the 1900 Paris Exposition. Gallagher was a member of many artist organizations and institutions including the Guild of Boston Artists, the Boston Society of Water Color Painters, the Brooklyn Society of Etchers and the Chicago Society of Etchers. He received several awards and prizes, such as the Logan Prize for etching at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1922 and the City of Boston Tercentenary medal in 1930.

Gallagher's work is represented in important collections throughout the United States and abroad, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston; the Art Institute of Chicago; the New York Public Library; the Boston Public Library; the Library of Congress; the Brooklyn Museum of Art; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris.

Photo Source: Boston Public Library