Arthur Henry Purcell Durston (1889–1938) was an American artist of British descent. Born in England, he immigrated to the U.S. in 1908, and was naturalized a U.S. citizen in 1918. He was known for his modernist paintings in oil and water.

Early life, education, and military service

Arthur Durston was born to Sidney John Durston and Alice Henrietta Durston on March 30, 1889. His father was a coach builder residing in

Farnborough Farnborough may refer to: Australia * Farnborough, Queensland, a locality in the Shire of Livingstone United Kingdom * Farnborough, Hampshire, a town in the Rushmoor district of Hampshire, England ** Farnborough (Main) railway station, a railw ...

, England (now part of the greater London area). He was educated in England, France, and San Francisco. He served in Company I, 31st U.S. Infantry from May 5, 1918, to December 21, 1919.

Art career

Durston's paintings were characterized as "somber" and "depressing." Much of his work was done in America during the 1930s; he worked under the Public Works of Art Project during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, which provided him with a small income during that time. His work is included in the collections of the

Smithsonian American Art Museum The Smithsonian American Art Museum (commonly known as SAAM, and formerly the National Museum of American Art) is a museum in Washington, D.C., part of the Smithsonian Institution. Together with its branch museum, the Renwick Gallery, SAAM holds o ...

and the

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art, and its attached Sculpture Garden, is a national art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of char ...

, Washington. Durston died on December 27, 1938, in Los Angeles, California.

References

20th-century American painters American modern painters People of the New Deal arts projects Public Works of Art Project artists {{US-painter-1880s-stub