What is mostly known about this talented native of Philadelphia is that he reached certain heights in art and earned money through his beloved work. At the same time, Walter Clark actively invested in the development of both his native Philadelphia and other US cities. The local entrepreneur revealed how an ordinary child of a migrant family from an industrial town was able to achieve real success. Read more about Clark’s life path on philadelphiaski, namely about the beginning and development of a businessman’s career, what he is remembered for and his death.
The beginning of the story and the achievements
Walter Leighton Clark was born on January 9, 1859 in Philadelphia. The future famous entrepreneur and artist had to leave his birthplace as a child, as the family decided to settle in Stockbridge.
Walter Leighton was an apprentice in a mechanical shop. Later, he became the head of this enterprise but his soul was drawn to creativity. Therefore, one day he decided to go on a trip around the world.
After returning to Massachusetts, Clark received a higher education and began to take the first steps in creativity. During these years, Walter studied sculpture under Daniel Chester French’s guidance. Thanks to perseverance and talent, Walter Clark relatively quickly became a fairly popular artist.
Having achieved financial independence, he decided to found the Grand Central Art Galleries. This was made together with John Singer Sargent near New York City’s Grand Central Terminal in 1923. The main goal of this project was not only to earn money but also to provide a chance for promising American artists to show their works in their homeland and not abroad.
Along with sculptor Daniel Chester French and Dr. Austen Fox Riggs, the native of the City of Brotherly Love played a key role in the creation of the Berkshire Theatre Festival in Stockbridge. Enthusiasts bought the building of the former local casino, which had already fallen into disrepair. They created the Berkshire Theatre. Nowadays, it is one of the centers of the cultural life of the region and the venue for the above-mentioned creative festival.
What is Walter Clark remembered for?
There is very little information about the life of the famous native of Philadelphia, who achieved success beyond its borders. The main facts about him are told in Clark’s autobiography, which was written by his sister when her brother was already bedridden.
Leaves From an Artist’s Memory is the book about the life of Walter Clark, which was published posthumously in 1937. Amy Clark later explained that she did not write down some of the older brother’s stories because of Walter’s psychological and emotional state. As a result, some critics noted that the book about Clark’s childhood and adult adventures is quite interesting but some facts are hard to believe.
On December 18, 1935, a native of Philadelphia died in the city of Stockbridge. He was buried in the local cemetery. The words of the famous American priest and writer Edward Hale were carved on his tombstone: ‘Look up and not down; Look forward and not back; Look out and not in; And lend a hand’.
After his death, an auction was held where two of Clark’s paintings were sold, namely: Salome Receiving the Head of John the Baptist by Bernardino Luini was sold for one thousand US dollars; Portrait of Marten Rijckaert by Sir Anthony Van Dyck was sold for more than seven hundred thousand dollars.
In addition to his works, the famous Philadelphia artist and businessman is also remembered for the fact that he gave impetus to the development of talented American artists in the first half of the twentieth century.
