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John Quinn, 1870-1924
Born to Irish immigrants, John Quinn established his reputation in his twenties as a brilliant lawyer in New York. His deep interest in contemporary literature led him to collect first editions of the work of John Butler Yeats, Lady Gregory, Douglas Hyde, and other contemporary Irish writers. In time, Quinn's literary interests shifted to modern art, and he soon became a significant collector. Armory Show organizer Walter Pach served as an art adviser to Quinn, who ultimately made his first art purchase at the 1913 show and continued to collect art based on Pach's recommendations. Summarizing the importance of the Armory Show at its opening, Quinn said, "it . . . [is] time the American people had an opportunity to see and judge for themselves concerning the work of the Europeans who are creating a new art."
John Butler Yeats, 1908 |