Arranging the Tulips

Julius Garibaldi Melchers, known as Gari Melchers, was an American artist celebrated for his contributions to naturalism. Born in Detroit, Michigan, to a German-born sculptor father, Melchers' artistic journey began at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, where he studied under von Gebhardt, aligning him with the Düsseldorf school of painting. His quest for artistic mastery led him to Paris, where he further honed his skills at the Académie Julian and the Ecole des Beaux Arts under the tutelage of Jules Joseph Lefebvre and Gustave Boulanger. Melchers' fascination with the Dutch landscape inspired his relocation to Egmond, where he co-founded an art colony with George Hitchcock. His early work, 'The Letter,' showcased at the Paris Salon, marked the beginning of a distinguished career that would see him honored with a Gold medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1932. Melchers' oeuvre, characterized by its vivid realism and emotional depth, earned him international acclaim. His painting 'The Sermon' was particularly well-received at the Paris Salon of 1886. A member of prestigious art institutions across Europe and America, Melchers' accolades included the Legion of Honor from France and the Order of the Red Eagle from Germany. In 1889, he and John Singer Sargent made history as the first American painters to win a Grand Prize at the Paris Universal Exposition. Beyond his canvas work, Melchers contributed mural paintings to the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, now housed at the University of Michigan. His marriage to Corinne Lawton Mackall, a fellow artist, in 1903, marked a personal milestone in a life dedicated to the pursuit of artistic excellence.