Edward Hornor Coates
Edward Hornor Coates | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | December 23, 1921 (aged 75) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, financier, arts patron |
| Known for | President of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1890–1906) |
Edward Hornor Coates (November 12, 1846 – December 23, 1921) was a prominent American entrepreneur, financier, and supporter of the arts and sciences based in Philadelphia. In 1873, he joined the board of directors at the Mechanics National Bank, later leading the Committee on Instruction at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts between 1883 and 1890, before serving as its president from 1890 until 1906.
Early life and education
Born into a Quaker family on November 12, 1846, in Philadelphia, Coates was the son of Joseph Potts Hornor Coates and Eliza Henri Troth. He completed his studies at Haverford College in 1864.
Career
Painter John McLure Hamilton regarded Coates’ leadership at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts as its most flourishing era. During his administration, substantial endowments were secured, a national portrait gallery was founded, and significant acquisitions such as works by Gilbert Stuart were made. The Academy’s annual exhibitions reached new heights of distinction. Coates upheld a traditional stance on art education, opposing modernist movements with backing from artists including Eakins, Anschutz, and Chase. His efforts significantly enhanced both the institution’s prestige and its assets.
Following Thomas Eakins’ appointment as PAFA director in 1882, Coates assumed the role of chairman of instruction in 1883. He commissioned Eakins’ The Swimming Hole in 1884 for the Academy’s collection but later traded it for Singing the Pathetic Song (1881). Together, Coates and Eakins supervised Eadweard Muybridge’s photographic research into human locomotion for PAFA. Nevertheless, tensions arose when Eakins breached Academy rules by displaying nude models to coeducational classes. After an 1886 scandal involving allegations against Eakins, Coates requested his resignation, which was accepted. Despite this fallout, Coates continued to support Eakins by acquiring his bas-relief panels Knitting and Spinning for PAFA.
On January 24, 1890, Coates delivered a speech to the Art Club of Philadelphia titled "The Academy of the Fine Arts and Its Future," urging every citizen to engage thoughtfully and collaboratively in advancing the institution.
Pennsylvania politics
In 1890, Coates aligned with the "Independent Republicans of Pennsylvania," endorsing Democratic candidate Robert E. Pattison over Republican George W. Delamater for Governor as a stand against Senator Matthew Stanley Quay’s corrupt political control. Pattison secured victory in the election. By 1894, Coates had joined the "Quaker City Rebels," continuing to resist Quay’s political dominance known as "bossism."
Personal life
Coates married Ella May Potts in 1872; she passed away two years later in 1874. In 1879, he wed Florence Van Leer Earle Coates, daughter of Philadelphia attorney George H. Earle Sr. and granddaughter of U.S. Army officer Samuel Van Leer. Florence was a widow with a daughter named Alice Earle Nicholson, whom Coates adopted. The couple had one child who died during infancy.
Their family homes included a residence at 1018 Spruce Street and "Willing Terrace" located in Philadelphia's Germantown. They entertained literary critic Matthew Arnold, who encouraged Florence’s poetic pursuits; she ultimately published nearly three hundred poems along with five collections of verse. Summers were spent at their Adirondack retreat "Camp Elsinore" on Upper St. Regis Lake, which inspired much of Florence’s nature-themed poetry. Around 1908, they moved to 2024 Spruce Street near Rittenhouse Square, where they remained living thereafter.
Death
Edward Hornor Coates passed away on December 23, 1921, in Philadelphia. His funeral service took place at his residence on Spruce Street, and he was laid to rest in the churchyard of the Church of the Redeemer (Episcopal) located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. His gravestone bears the inscription, "High thought seated in a heart of courtesy," symbolizing his esteemed reputation as a man of integrity.
Legacy
In 1923, Mrs. Coates gifted The Edward H. Coates Memorial Collection to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. This assemblage included distinguished pieces such as Robert Vonnoh's 1893 portrait of Coates; Violet Oakley's 1912 work The Tragic Muse, portraying Mrs. Coates; William Trost Richards' 1885 painting Old Ocean's Gray and Melancholy Waste, which won PAFA's Temple Gold Medal; and Charles Grafly's 1903 sculpted portrait bust of Coates. The collection further comprised 24 additional paintings along with two sculptures, all showcased at the Academy from November 1923 through January 1924.
A notable auction of Coates' personal library, consisting of association copies and first editions by prominent English and American writers, was conducted by Stan V. Henkels on March 31, 1922.