Will H. (Will Hicok) Low

Born in Albany, New York, in 1853, Will Hicok Low became an American artist, muralist, and writer on art. He studied in Paris and was part of a generation of U.S. artists deeply influenced by French training, bringing that experience back to American painting and decoration.

Low built a reputation for poetic, often idealized work and for large decorative projects as well as easel paintings. Alongside his art, he wrote about artists and artistic life, and he is especially remembered for memoir-style books including A Chronicle of Friendships, 1873–1900, which drew on his experiences in American and European cultural circles.

He died in 1932. For listeners who enjoy art history, memoir, and glimpses of the world behind the studios and salons of the late 1800s, his writing has an easy appeal.