Salmagundi club

DEFINITION

Founded in 1871 in New York City by a group of artists, it became an important gathering place for artists to exhibit their work, exchange ideas, and have much camaraderie. The group began as a sketching club, but expanded to formal exhibitions and auctions, elaborate social events, and the building of a commodious building for meetings. An underlying bond was and remains a commitment to realist styles regardless of trends among critics and the marketplace. Early members first met in the studio of sculptor John Scott Hartley, and among their activities was boxing, fencing, much smoking, eating, and drinking coffee. Women were not admitted until 1973. In its early days, Salmagundi Club members were followed closely by the press because of their bohemian lifestyle and exotic parties. The Club has been located in Greenwich Village, which in 1871 was the center of culture and gentility. Source: "American Artist" magazine, 'Salmagundi Club Turns 125', December, 1996