Francis Quirk Leads Lehigh in Purchase of A. Mark Datz Painting "Across the Hudson"

According to an article in the Pocono Record on March 4, 1966, Francis Quirk announced the acquisition of three new works for the collection. 

Three new oil paintings had been added to Lehigh University’s permanent collection, announced Dr. Francis J. Quirk, head of the fine arts department.

The new acquisitions, which would be part of the Edward K. Driebe Collection, included “Studio Interior” by Walter E. Baum, “Courtship of the Snowy Owl” by Sterling Strauser and “Across the Hudson” by A. Mark Datz. Edward K. Driebe was a successful businessman who capitalized on the growing market for frozen vegetables and in 1997 became a member of the Frozen Food Hall of Fame joining Clarence Birdseye, Vernon Stouffer and Murray Lender. 

*****Since the initial posting of this article the responsive team at Lehigh University Art Galleries graciously found images of all three works. Naturally, it is a delight to have them and we will include the Baum image on our next post.***** 

Mark A. Datz (American, born Russia, 1889-1969), Across the Hudson, 1938, Oil on canvas, Gift of Edward K. and Mary R. Driebe, LUP 66 1002, Lehigh University Art Galleries

This post focuses on A. Mark Datz an expressionist artist of modest success who is largely forgotten.  His AskART biography is very brief. 

Abraham Mark Datz was a Russian Jew who came to the United States in 1903 to settle in New York. He is known as a painter, a sculptor, and an etcher. His works very rarely come on the market. Syracuse University maintains a Datz archive. His works are held in many museum collections, including the Whitney Museum of Art.

Datz had a palate of bright colors and our survey of his work on-line provided many floral still life images and scenes of New York. 

Gladiola and Chrysanthemums by A. Mark Datz  Worcester Art Museum

  

Hands of Fate by A. Mark Datz 1955
Whitney Museum

A Medley of Shapes 1956  A. Mark Datz

Fort Independence Park  Etching  A. Mark Datz Funded by the WPA

We decided to dig a bit further to learn about this man and had to go to the Syracuse University Archives where his papers are stored. 

Born on October 2927, 1889 in Russia, he emigrated to New York in 1903. He attended Cooper Union from 1908-1912, The National Academy of Design 1912-1915 and Beaux Arts (New York) 1916-1918. 

In the 1930's his work was supported by the Works Progress Administration program funded by the Federal Government. 

He had almost a dozen one-man shows in New York City institutions including the Eighth Street Gallery, The Dorothy Paris Gallery, The Montrose Gallery and the Hartert Gallery. The Paris Gallery was active from 1930-1936 and her papers are in the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian. 

In addition to Lehigh University his work is in the following museums, Whitney, Smithsonian Atlanta, Worcester, Los Angeles, Norfolk, Newark, Osh Kosh, Tel Aviv, Birmingham, NYU, Syracuse University, Evansville, US General Services Administration and Biro Bidjan, Russia. 

Personally, He was married in 1919 to Rebecca Fiensilver. Rebecca died in November 1934 at Creedmore Hospital in Queens, NY and is buried at Mount Richmond Cemetery on Staten Island. Abraham married again in December 1934 and his wife, Lillian, had one child, Israel Mortimer Datz who became an accomplished systems engineer working at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, NASA and the US Military. Mark Datz died in 1969.