William Henry Hyde

Born in New York City in 1858, William Henry Hyde was graduated from Columbia in 1877. His father objected to a career in art so he became a broker and spent his time out of business hours studying art and his time on the Elevated studying French. While he was still a broker he became a popular illustrator for Life and other magazines. Those who are interested in illustration before the half tone will find many of his works in Harper’s Young People and other magazines of the 1880’s. When his father died he went to Paris and studied with Boulanger, Lefebvre, Doucet and Harrison and largely because of his studies on the Elevated he soon spoke French as well as any Parisian. His paintings were often seen in our exhibitions.

He spent much time in the Century, reading, talking, playing chess, pool or bridge; but to play with him required tact, since he was eager, critical and sure. Between games (and he went from one to the other incessantly) he always had a good story to tell and once lamented the efficacy of sulfa drugs when the very old are befriended by pneumonia. During the years 1913–15 he was a member of the Board of Management, serving on the Committee on Art.

Geoffrey Parsons
1943 Century Memorials