davies
davies — biographical name
1. an American painter associated with the Ashcan School and a key organizer of the
an American painter associated with the Ashcan School and a key organizer of the 1913 Armory Show, known for dreamlike landscapes and mythological subjects.
Arthur Bowen Davies helped organize the famous Armory Show of 1913.
proper noun as subject in biographical context
Art historians often discuss Davies alongside other Ashcan School painters.
The gallery's new exhibit features several pastoral landscapes by Arthur Bowen Davies.
collocation: pastoral landscapes by [artist]
Ezra compared Davies's use of color to that of the French symbolist painters.
Usage Note
Arthur Bowen Davies is distinct from the Canadian author Robertson Davies; context (art history vs. literature) usually makes the reference clear.
2. a Canadian novelist, playwright, and critic best known for the Deptford Trilogy
a Canadian novelist, playwright, and critic best known for the Deptford Trilogy and for serving as the first Master of Massey College at the University of Toronto.
Robertson Davies explored themes of magic and psychology in his novel 'Fifth Business'.
proper noun as subject in literary discussion
Many readers consider Robertson Davies one of Canada's finest novelists of the twentieth century.
Daichi wrote his thesis on Jungian archetypes in the novels of Robertson Davies.
proper noun as object of a prepositional phrase in academic context
Bilal discovered Robertson Davies while browsing the Canadian literature section.
Usage Note
Commonly referred to simply as 'Robertson Davies' in literary criticism; the first name 'William' in his full name (William Robertson Davies) is almost never used in modern references.
Word family
Etymology
The surname Davies comes from the Welsh patronymic tradition, where 'ap David' (son of David) was contracted to 'Davies' over time. The name David itself traces back to Hebrew, meaning 'beloved.'