biography of William Posey SILVA (1859-1948)

Birth place: Savannah, GA

Death place: Carmel, CA

Addresses: Chattanooga, TN, c.1887; Washington, DC, 1910-14; Charleston; New Orleans; Carmel, CA

Profession: Landscape painter

Studied: Chatham Acad., Savannah; Académie Julian, Paris with J.P. Laurens and Royer, 1907; C. Ryder in Etaples, France; A.W. Dow in NYC

Exhibited: Corcoran Gal biennial, 1910; AIC; Salon d'Automne, 1908; Peabody Inst.; Delgado Mus. Art; Appalachian Expo, Knoxville, TN, 1910 (silver medal); Veerhoff Gal., Washington, DC, 1911; PAFA Ann., 1912-13; Pan-Calif. Expo, San Diego, 1915 (medal), 1916 (medal); Mississippi AA, 1916 (gold); S. Indp. A., 1917; Salon Artistes Français, Paris, 1922 (honorable mention); SSAL, 1928 (prize), 1927 (prize), 1930 (prize), 1932-37; AFA Traveling Exh., 1929-28 (solo); Carmel AA, 1946 (solo); Georgia-Alabama Exh., Nashville, 1926 (prize); Mississippi State Fair, 1926 (prize); Springville, UT, 1927 (prize), 1929 (prize); San Antonio, 1928 (prize); Santa Cruz AL, 1930, 1931 (prize); Reaugh AC, 1932 (prize); NOAA, 1926 (prize); 1932 (prize); Mississippi AA, 1932 (prize); Calif. State Fair, 1920 (prize), 1921 (prize), 1924 (prize), 1935 (prize)

Member: AAPL; AFA; SC; Soc. Wash. Artists; Mississippi AA; Calif. AC; Chattanooga AA; Paris AA; SSAL; NOAA; Carmel AA.

Work: Blandon Mem. Art Gal., Ft. Dodge, IA; LOC; MMA; Gibbes Art Gal., Charleston; Ft. Worth AA; Delgado Mus. Art; Palo Alto Public Library; Janesville (WI) AI; Mississipi Art Gal., Jackson; Milwaukee AI; Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia; French Govt. Collection; Columbia (SC) College; Springville, UT; Harrison Library, Carmel, CA; MFA, Houston; Los Angeles Mus. Art; many high schools; Carnegie Public Library, Chattanooga; 19th Century Club; Huntington Club, Savannah; Centennial Club, Nashville; Nashville AA; Cary AC, Jackson, MS; Tennessee Pen Women's Club; Women's Club, Ft. Worth; White Library, Marquette, MI; Public Library, Birmingham; Art Appreciation Club, Meridian, MS; Boise (ID) AA; Mus. Art, Montgomery, AL; Library, Edgefield, SC; Women's Club, Santa Monica; Tennessee FAC, Cheekwood; Brooks Mem. Art Gall., Memphis; Tennessee State Mus.

Comments: He started his profession in art in his 40s, after giving up business pursuits, and painted in an Impressionist style.

Sources: WW47; McMahan, Artists of Washington DC; Kelly, Landscape and Genre Painting in Tennessee, 1810-1985,102-103 (w/repro.); Falk, Exh. Record Series.