Date: Saturday, January 9, 5:00 p.m., Chapter meeting 4:30 p.m.

Chapter: Illinois

Presenter: Dennis O’Connor

Dennis O’Connor has enjoyed a lifelong fascination with all things ancient Egyptian. He holds a Master’s Degree in Art History from the University of Memphis, with a concentration in Egyptian Art and Archaeology. Currently, he is at work writing a biography of the life and work of the artist Joseph Lindon Smith.

Location: The Oriental Institute, LaSalle Bank Room, 1155 East 58th Street, Chicago, 60637

Joseph Lindon Smith

Description: American painter Joseph Lindon Smith (1863-1950) enjoyed a long and prolific artistic career. The majority of his paintings took as their subject matter the art and architecture of ancient cultures that were being discovered during the first half of the twentieth century, especially that of ancient Egypt. For many decades, Smith was an active member of George A. Reisner’s Boston/Harvard expedition, painting yearly throughout Egypt along the Nile Valley as far south as Meroe and Napata. In the last decade of his life, he became the only artist to date to attain the distinction of having his canvases, which he described as “portraits,” put on display at The Egyptian Museum in Cairo in yearly shows alongside the original artifacts.

Although still held in the collections of many of Americas finest museums, Smith’s beautiful paintings today are largely forgotten and off display. This presentation re-introduces Joseph Lindon Smith to the public and examines not only his devotion to the art of the ancient world, but many other aspects of his long and multifaceted career.  Several original Smith works will be on view during the lecture.