Arts and Letters

Peter Dalton, sculptor, was born in 1894 and died in 1972 at the age of seventy-seven in Pasadena, California, far from his home at Grandview-on-Hudson, where he had lived for many years. All those who knew him will remember his kindness and modesty. Unlike many of his contemporaries who went to Europe to study, or to finish their studies, Peter chose to remain in the United States, attending the Art Students League, the Beaux Arts Institute of Design, and the National Academy of Design, all in New York.

He was a quiet man, a serene man, hating any sort of exhibitionism, and without concern for success; if it came to him, fine, if not, he never ran after it, working instead for the sheer pleasure his work gave him. With a good training, and a talent nurtured by classical studies, he did not care to indulge in experiments. He knew what he wanted to do, and did what pleased him. He did not, however, ignore contemporary trends in sculpture, nor did he despise so-called "Modern Sculpture," although he felt that some works in that category were nothing but pretense. He therefore would not make a blanket endorsement of the movement just to appear to be smart or to fall into step with those who without the knowledge to judge for themselves worshipped only the current fashions. "Art is immortal," he would say, and sculpture tangible and visible. Thus with discriminating eye and taste he would endorse only what he thought was good. He scoffed at the word "modern" applied to Art, for Art is Art, and for him, regardless of time, trends, or appellations Art could be nothing but either "good" or "bad."

Peter Dalton worked seriously and created beautiful sculpture. His figures (female, most of them), for which he was well known, have plastic strength, sensitiveness, and charm. To be remembered among them are his "Susanna," which won him a Gold Medal at the National Academy of Design, his "Morning," to which another prize of $1,000 was awarded at the Academy in 1947, his figure "Spring," and his garden figure in the collection of Mr. Bryant Langston. Other prizes given to his work were a Gold Medal from the Allied Artists of America, and second prize at the Dance International Competition in 1937. In 1945 he received an Award in Art from the National Institute of Arts and Letters; in 1952 he was elected to membership in the Institute. He was also a member of the National Academy of Design and a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society. For a period of years he taught sculpture at the Albright Art Gallery School in Buffalo.

He was a good friend. I liked him and shall miss him greatly, a sentiment, I am sure, shared by all who had occasion to meet him and to know him.