The Life of Frederick Oakes Sylvester
Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, on October 8, 1869, Frederick Oakes Sylvester was an American art educator and artist associated with the Arts and Crafts movement in St. Louis, Missouri. After attending high school in Fall River, Massachusetts, he entered the Massachusetts Normal Art School, graduating in three years with honors. His early career included serving as the acting director of the Art Department at the H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College at Tulane University in New Orleans from 1891 to 1892.
In 1892, Sylvester moved to St. Louis, where he worked as the art director at Central High School and taught night classes at the YMCA. He was a member of several organizations, including the Society of Western Artists, the Two-by-Four Club, the Artists' Guild, and the St. Louis Art League.
Artistic Focus and Achievements
Sylvester became known as "the painter of the Eads Bridge" due to his extensive work documenting the St. Louis riverfront; by 1904, his paintings of the bridge exceeded 100. His work during this period was impressionist, focusing on the industrial growth of the area. He won a bronze medal at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and a silver medal at the Portland Exposition.
Following a period in Europe in 1906, his focus shifted toward the area around Elsah, Illinois, where he owned a summer home called Oak Ledge. In this later period, his paintings moved beyond urban subjects toward the spiritual values of nature. His work has been exhibited at the St. Louis Art Museum and is held in various institutions and private homes.
