ABSTRACT

An examination of the ways in which the extensive travels of the American artist Marguerite Thompson Zorach (1887–1967) 1 fit into the broader context of the Grand Tour tradition is long overdue. 2 Thompson’s role in American art is well established, as she distinguished herself as one of the leading modernists of her day: her early fauvist-and cubist-inspired oil paintings were shown at Ardsley Studios (1916), the Charles Daniel Gallery (1915–18), and Montross Gallery (1923), all in New York City. Her inclusion in the following New York City landmark exhibitions—the Armory Show (1913), the Forum Exhibition of Modern American Painters at the Anderson Gallery (1916), and the first exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists (1917), to mention just a few—demonstrates her involvement in the avant-garde outlets of her day. In 1912, she married William Zorach (1887–1966), the sculptor who, along with Robert Laurent (1890–1970), helped to popularize the method of direct carving in the United States during the first half of the twentieth century. 3 In order to avoid confusion between the two Zorachs, I will refer to her using “Thompson,” her maiden name, which she used during the time that she embarked on such travels, and I will refer to her partner simply as “William.”