John Taylor Arms

Arms was born in Washington DC in 1887. He studied law at Princeton but moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston to study architecture. After serving in WWI in the Navy, he dedicated himself to etching after his wife, Dorothy Noyes, gave him his first etching kit in 1913. His first etchings were published in 1919.

Arms developed a successful career as a graphic artist in the 1920s and 1930s, specializing in series of etchings of Gothic churches and cathedrals in France and Italy. In addition to medieval subjects, Arms made a series of prints of American cities.

He used sewing needles and magnifying glasses to get a fine level of detail. A member of many printmaking societies, Arms served as president of the Society of American Graphic Artists. An educator, Arms wrote the Handbook of Print Making and Print Makers (1934) and did numerous demonstrations and lectures. Arms was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member in 1930, and became a full member in 1933. His work was also part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics.

SOURCE - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Taylor_Arms (Aug, 2025) & https://oldprintshop.com/artists/2419 (Aug, 2025)