biography of James Gale TYLER (1855-1931)

Birth place: Oswego, NY

Death place: Pelham, NY

Addresses: NYC, 1882-99; Greenwich, CT (1870s-1931)

Profession: Marine painter, illustrator

Studied: briefly with Archibald C. Smith in NYC, 1870

Exhibited: NAD, 1880-99; Providence AC, mid 1880s; Boston AC, 1884-1899; Brooklyn AA, 1879-86, 1891; PAFA Ann., 1885-90; AIC; S. Indp. A., 1919, 1921

Member: Brooklyn AC; SC, 1893; A. Fund. S.; Greenwich SA.

Work: CGA; Tokyo Mus.; Wadsworth Athenaeum, Hartford; Omaha, NE; Mariner's Mus., NYHS

Comments: He painted pictures of every America"s Cup race since 1900, and his illustrations appeared in Harper"s, Century, Literary Digest and other magazines. He spent most of his life in NYC, but during the mid 1880s had a studio in Providence, RI. In 1930, at age 75, he made his last coverage of the races off Newport and created his characteristically vivid portrayals of the Shamrock and Enterprise, which were later shown at the Union League Club. Tyler"s marine pictures were so popular that he repeated in a formulaic way his theme of a sailing ship returning to harbor at night, with red port and green starboard running lights glowing. Even during his lifetime, forgeries of his works were discovered. Bibliography:†exh. cat., Painters of Rhode Island (Newport AM, 1986, p.22); Art in Conn.: Early Days to the Gilded Age (cites birthplace as Greenwich, CT); Falk, Exh. Record Series.