At the turn of the twentieth century, American artists looked to their European counterparts and beyond as they developed identifiably American artistic movements.

Two particularly strong influences during this time period were French Impressionism and Japanese woodblock prints.

Another prevailing theme during this period was the growing interest in American subject matter. American regionalism and social realism played important roles in the development of art in Charleston, which flourished as a destination for artists, particularly during the years of 1915 to 1945 a period now known as the Charleston Renaissance.