BORN: July 23, 1898 Cincinnati, OH

DIED: March 23, 1973 Cincinatti, OHi

MARRIED: Neverii

TRAINING

Cincinnati School of Art (Art Academy) with Frank Duveneck; James R. Hopkins; Caroline A. Lord; Lewis Henry Meakin; Herman Henry Wessell

ART RELATED EMPLOYMENT

Advertising artist and book illustratoriii

1949 on Biblical illustrationsiv

TEACHING

RESIDENCES

1900s Mt. Auburn, Ohiov

1925 Cincinnativi

1926-ca.1940, 1952 Chicago

c.1950s Returned to Cincinatti

TRAVEL

ca.1924 Colorado

1928 Glacier National Park

MEMBERSHIPS/OFFICES

All-Illinois Society of Fine Arts; Association of Chicago Painters & Sculptors; Chicago Galleries Association; Cincinnati Art Club (joined 1919, 1965-1967 President)vii; Duveneck Society; Tiffany Foundation

HONORS

1921 and 1929 Guest Artist, Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation at Oyster Bay, Long Island, NYviii

1921 Second Chaloner Prize, National Academy of Design, New Yorkix

1925 Augustus S. Peabody Prize, Art Institute of Chicago, American Annualx

1930 (Dec) Fourth Purchase Prize, Chicago Galleries Association

1931 (May) Fourth Purchase Prize, Chicago Galleries Association

1932 Purchase Prize, Chicago Galleries Association

JURIES SERVED

1934 Hoosier Salon

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

All-Illinois Society of Fine Art annual 1926

Art Institute of Chicago, American Annual 1924, 1925, 1927

Art Institute, Chicago & Vicinity 1926, 1930,xi 1931, 1933

Albright-Knox Art Gallery, American Annual 1927

Chicago Galleries Association, Portraits by Members 1932xii

Chicago Galleries Association 1952

Cincinnati Art Museum, Annual Exhibition of American Art 1923-1928

Cincinnati Art Museum, Exhibition of the Women's Art Club, 1923

Cincinnati Art Museum, Portraits of Present Day Cincinnatians 1933

Cincinnati Art Museum, Exhibition of Work by Teachers and Former Students, Art Academy 1938

Corcoran Gallery of Art Biennial 1926

Milwaukee Art Museum

Nebraska Art Association annual 1926, 1928

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts annual 1925

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts annual watercolors 1927

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Sesquicentennial 1926

St. Louis Art Museum, American Annual 1926

ONE, TWO OR THREE MAN EXHIBITIONS

1929 Closson Galleries, Dayton, Ohioxiii

1930 Chicago Galleries Associationxiv

1930 Civic Arts Society, Chicagoxv

1933 Chicago Galleries Association (Feb.);xvi (Oct)xvii

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS

INTERESTING NOTES

“Mr. Adam reveals himself as a colorist of distinction...The paintings, realistic to a degree, have a vividness that is almost startling.”xviii “Mr Adam was a prime mover in setting up the old communal art studio in the 1920s in the old Studio building on Third Street – the same building in which Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th U.S. President has his offices.”xix

iKenwood Terrace Nursing Center, 8440 Montgomery Rd.

iiHis niece stated that he fell in love once and suffered from a broken heart and never romanced again.

iiiObit, Cincinnati Post, 3/23/1973.

ivObit, Cincinnati Post, 3/23/1973. The article said “His library of Biblical costumes, implements and other historical data is said to be one of the best in the world.

vObit, Cincinnati Post, 3/23/1973.

vi“Mr. Adam divides his time between Cincinnati and Chicago, painting portraits in both cities..,” Cincinnati Times Sun, 12/17/1929.

viiObit, Cincinnati Post, 3/23/1973.

viiiObit, Cincinnati Post, 3/23/1973.

ixObit, Cincinnati Post, 3/23/1973. The prize was for study in Paris. It is not clear if he studied in Paris. See also “Boston Man Wins $4,500 Art Prize, Cincinnati Students Get Two Lesser Awards,” Arts & Decoration, July 1921, p.204.

xThe prize was awarded his Little Dancer.

xiHis Scene from Porgy, was illustrated in The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 1/28/1930, p.15.

xiiHis portrait of Mrs. Howard McCormick was illustrated in the Chicago Evening Post, 9/13/1932, Art Section, p.6, and is portrait of Gustave A. Ahrenhold in the 10/18 issue, p.2.

xiiiPenelope Perrill, “There is on exhibition at Clossons...,” Dayton News, 3/31/1929 and “Wilbur Adam opens his exhibition...,” Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/3/1929, both in Cleveland Museum artist clipping file.

xivTom Vickerman, “The Art of Byron Boyd and Wilbur Adam Shown,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 1/14/1930, p.6. His The Elevated, was illustrated in the 1/21/1930 issue, p.6. Eleanor Jewett, “Boyd and Adam Mingle Sanity with Their Modern Art,” Chicago Tribune, 1/8/1930, p.31, and “No-Jury Exhibit Turns Conservative: Two One Man Shows,”1/19/1930, p.F6.

xv“Wilbur Adam,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 11/18/1930, p.4.

xviEleanor Jewett, “Four Painters Open Exhibit, Win Applause,” Chicago Tribune, 2/7/1933, p.19.

xvii“Group of Four,” Chicago Daily News, 1/28/1933, Art and Artists section, p.7. It appears a second exhibit was later in the year: C. J. Bulliet, “Around the Picture Galleries,” Chicago Daily News, 9/23/1933, Art and Artists section, p.9. Eleanor Jewett, “Four Artists Offer Chicago Gallery Show,” Chicago Tribune, 10/5/1933, p.19.

xviiiWilbur Adam opens his exhibition..., Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/3/1929.

xixObit, Cincinnati Post, 3/23/1973.