Albert Gold (1916-2006)

Albert Gold studied at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art (now University of the Arts).  In 1935, at the age of 19, he began exhibiting his work in group shows and in 1939 his work was exhibited at the New York World's Fair. He was one of the artists represented in the 1942 Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition, Artists for Victory.  In 1942 Gold joined the Army Corps of Engineers, and was appointed as one of twelve combat artists assigned to document the war, and one of only three artists serving in the European Theater of Operations.  He served in Great Britain to “make a pictorial record of the development of US military concentrations” as well as in France and Germany. In 1942 he was awarded the Prix de Rome Medal by the American Academy of Rome. 

World War II was the second fertile period in my growth as an artist. The subject matter was at least as challenging and emotional as that of the depression.  My status as a combat artist afforded me every opportunity to be prolific, which I was.  I worked in pen and ink and wash and watercolor, and I worked quickly.  I also got to travel extensively for the first time in my life.

Gold was discharged by the Army in December 1945 with the rank of Technical Sergeant, also in that year he was awarded the British Empire Medal for combat artwork.  Gold returned to Philadelphia where he was a teacher, fine artist and illustrator; his primary interest was drawing.

"Draughtsmanship and craftsmanship are becoming quite rare.  If you want to be remarkable in our times, try to draw."

"…If you become an illustrator you may have occasion to use photographs.  They will betray your inadequacy if you cannot draw from life.  You can only read a photograph (a two-dimensional restricted pictorial statement) if you have drawn for years from nature."

 He also practiced printmaking, drawing and painting in watercolor and oils. He was instrumental in establishing the illustration department at his alma mater (then the Philadelphia Museum School and Philadelphia College of Art, now University of the Arts of Philadelphia) and received numerous art awards throughout his career. 

Quotations from the exhibition catalog, Coming Home: American Paintings 1930-1950 from the Schoen Collection. Interview conducted by Jason Schoen.