Arthur B. Davies was an influential painter, printmaker, and advocate for modern art in the United States. Born in Utica, New York, Davies was interested in art from a young age. He studied in Chicago before moving to New York City to study at the Art Students League. Davies favorite subjects were nudes and dreamy images of women in the landscape, and his work sold well. He was represented by William Macbeth, a leading dealer of American art in New York. Despite his success, he was not part of the powerful National Academy of Design. In 1908, he joined with seven other painters--John Sloan, Robert Henri, George Luks, Everett Shinn, William Glackens, Maurice Prendergast, and Ernest Lawson--to mount an exhibition in protest to the conservative policies of the National Academy. It became known as the exhibition of the Eight and was held at Macbeth Gallery. In 1913 he would be a key player in bringing modern European art to a broad American audience through the Armory Show.
