biography of Mathias Joseph ALTEN (1871-1938)

Birth place: Gusenburg, Germany

Addresses: Grand Rapids, MI

Profession: Figure, portrait, still life and mural painter

Studied: Académie Julian with Constant and Laurens, 1898; Prinet; Girrardo; Whistler, in Paris; with Edward A. Turner in Grand Rapids, MI; Sorolla in Spain

Exhibited: Michigan State Fair, 1896, 1899; Acad. Colarossi, Paris, 1899 (medal); NAD; Soc. of Western Artists, 1903; PAFA, 1903; AIC; Grand Rapids AA, 1911, 1913, 1916 (prize), 1933 (prize); Detroit AI, 1919 (prize); Scarab Cl., 1914, 1920 (gold); Detroit AI, 1919 (prize), 1922 (prize); Chicago Gal. Assoc., 1938.

Member: Grand Rapids AA; Allied AA; Scarab Cl.; NAC; Chicago Gal. Assn.

Work: Detroit Inst. of Arts; Syracuse Mus. FA; U.S. Court of Appeals, Cincinnati; Michigan State Capitol, Lansing; Armory, Flint, MI; Lib. Port Huron, MI; Armory Art Assoc.; Calvin College.

Comments: Naturalistic painter who came to the U.S. in 1889. A frequent traveler, he spent time in Old Lyme at the art colony, in Rockport, in Taos, in Florida and Southern California; and also visited Europe several times.

Sources: WW38; Gibson, Artists of Early Michigan, 35-36.