Everett Shinn

American, 1873 - 1953

Catching the drama of news events with speed and accuracy, Everett Shinn began his career as an artist-reporter for a Philadelphia newspaper in the early 1890s. Born in Woodstown, New Jersey, Shinn became a successful illustrator and one of the new realist painters who, at the turn of the century, looked to the modern urban world for their subjects.

In Philadelphia, he worked as a reporter and took classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1893 to 1897. At the same time, he met other newspaper illustrators, including William Glackens, George Luks, and John Sloan, who shared his interest in portraying contemporary life. Inspired by fellow artist and teacher Robert Henri, who asserted that anything could be the subject of a painting, the group eventually moved to New York and began to paint scenes of the city. These illustrators-turned-artists, joined by others, were known as The Eight. Their realistic paintings, which often focused on the seamier aspects of city life, challenged traditional academic art, and the group became known as the Ashcan School.

Shinn drew illustrations for New York newspapers and such magazines as Harper's Weekly and McClure's. Using pastels, he portrayed a range of subjects, from city slums to fashionable crowds at the opera. The theater world became one of his favorite subjects. Shinn's paintings of this glamorous realm reflect the influence of Edgar Degas. He painted murals, panels, and set designs for various theaters and worked as an art director for motion picture companies between 1917 and 1923. Shinn spent his career in New York, a city that fascinated him.

[This is an excerpt from the interactive companion program to the videodisc American Art from the National Gallery of Art. Produced by the Department of Education Resources, this teaching resource is one of the Gallery's free-loan educational programs.]

Explore selected works

The image shows an urban street scene with tall buildings and people walking on a busy corner. The architecture features building facades and a sign saying "Varnish Paint," depicted with soft brushstrokes. The color palette includes earthy tones like brown, grey, and soft pastels. In the foreground, a man sits against a building with objects nearby, while people walk and interact in the street. The background shows more building facades.
Everett Shinn, Sixth Avenue and Fifty-Third Street, 1935, colored pencil, pen and inks, graphite, and gouache on composition board, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, 1949), 2015.19.588

Sixth Avenue and Fifty-Third Street

Everett Shinn · 1935 · colored pencil, pen and inks, graphite, and gouache on composition board ·  Accession ID  2015.19.588
The image shows a trapeze artist suspended in mid-air, holding onto ropes with both hands, positioned horizontally. The artist's face is turned slightly upwards and their hair is drawn back or tied. They wear a sparkling leotard with hints of orange. Faint figures of spectators are visible below in a dimly lit auditorium. There is a dark background with subtle highlights indicating an audience, and a metallic bar aligns with the artist's foot.
Everett Shinn, Over the Audience, 1934-1940, pastel on blue laid paper, Bequest of Julia B. Engel, 1984.58.6

Over the Audience

Everett Shinn · 1934-1940 · pastel on blue laid paper ·  Accession ID  1984.58.6
This is a drawing of a city street or dockside scene with vehicles and structural elements. The composition features loose, expressive lines depicting cars, fences, and streetlights or signposts. The perspective is slightly elevated, creating depth and movement. The drawing is created with pencil or charcoal on paper, capturing the energy of urban life. Shadows and shading add three-dimensionality to the objects in the scene.
Everett Shinn, Polo Field, Piping Rock Club, Long Island, c. 1920, black conté crayon on wove paper mounted to paperboard, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, 1962), 2015.19.997

Polo Field, Piping Rock Club, Long Island

Everett Shinn · c. 1920 · black conté crayon on wove paper mounted to paperboard ·  Accession ID  2015.19.997
The image depicts a snow-covered street with buildings on the right side and a circular monument or obelisk on the left. The horizon is low, and the line of buildings extends into the distance. Bold brushstrokes are used to portray the snowy scene. The color scheme is mainly cool tones with hints of green and red in the buildings. In the distance, the buildings blend into the sky, suggesting an overcast day.
Everett Shinn, Joan of Arc Square, Paris, 1914, gouache over graphite on paperboard, Bequest of Julia B. Engel, 1984.58.8

Joan of Arc Square, Paris

Everett Shinn · 1914 · gouache over graphite on paperboard ·  Accession ID  1984.58.8
The image depicts a city street scene from a slightly elevated perspective. The horizon is obscured by buildings and an overcast sky. The artwork features loose, expressive brushstrokes creating a dynamic effect, suggesting motion in a bustling wintry scene. The color palette is muted with grays, blues, and whites. A blue stagecoach with red wheels stands out in the foreground. Figures in dark clothing move along the street, blending into the distant background of tall buildings.
Everett Shinn, Fifth Avenue Bus, 23rd Street and Broadway, 1914, pastel and charcoal on rough wove paper, laid down on board, Bequest of Julia B. Engel, 1984.58.9

Fifth Avenue Bus, 23rd Street and Broadway

Everett Shinn · 1914 · pastel and charcoal on rough wove paper, laid down on board ·  Accession ID  1984.58.9
The drawing depicts a person lying face down on their right side, with the right arm bent and supporting the head, and the left arm extended forward along the ground. The person's face is turned slightly downward, obscuring most facial features, but the head is tilted to show dark, short hair or tied back hair. The figure is unclothed, and there are no other objects or jewelry present. The background is plain with uniform shading, and the medium seems to be charcoal or pencil on beige paper. The artist's signature, Everett Shinn, along with the year 1910, is located in the lower right corner.
Everett Shinn, Female Nude on Couch, 1910, black conté crayon on wove paper mounted to paperboard, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, 1962), 2015.19.996

Female Nude on Couch

Everett Shinn · 1910 · black conté crayon on wove paper mounted to paperboard ·  Accession ID  2015.19.996
The image shows a street view of Paris with the Arc de Triomphe on the right. The perspective is from street level, highlighting the grand arch. The horizon is partly obscured by buildings and traffic. Buildings with red roofs are to the left. The style is impressionistic with lively brushstrokes indicating movement. The color palette includes soft blues, pinks, and beiges, with touches of vibrant green from trees. Figures in black strokes depict carriages and pedestrians. A crowd near the Arc de Triomphe adds depth in the distance.
Everett Shinn, Paris, 1900, black chalk and watercolor on four juxtaposed sheets, John Davis Hatch Collection, 1984.7.109

Paris

Everett Shinn · 1900 · black chalk and watercolor on four juxtaposed sheets ·  Accession ID  1984.7.109
This painting shows a bustling narrow street. Tall tenements are on either side in shades of red and brown. Fire escapes and clothing hang from the sides of the buildings. The street below is covered in white snow. A couple in coats stands among other passersby, and horse-drawn cart is pulled down the street. In the background, the buildings converge at the end of the long street below an icy blue sky.
Everett Shinn, Cross Streets of New York, 1899, pastel, watercolor, charcoal, and gouache on paperboard, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Margaret M. Hitchcock through a Museum Exchange, 1975), 2014.136.211

Cross Streets of New York

Everett Shinn · 1899 · pastel, watercolor, charcoal, and gouache on paperboard ·  Accession ID  2014.136.211
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Boys Sliding, Washington Square

Everett Shinn · 1902-1903 · gouache and pastel on paperboard ·  Accession ID  1984.58.7