Henry Varnum Poor is best known for his thrown earthenware domestic work especially plates and bowls which were glazed with metallic oxides on slip, often with the addition of sgraffito.
Still lifes, pastoral scenes, portraits, and figures were his subjects and reflected his training as a post-impressionistpainter. He also created many painted and tiled murals in public buildings including the Departments of Justice and the Interior in Washington, DC.
After returning from World War I, Poor traveled to NYC to sell his paintings. During that time he was introduced to ceramics which became his creative focus from the 1920s onward. Poor is considered one of the first studio potters in the USA. His lifestyle embodied the Studio Crafts Movement. Poor lived and worked for over 50 years at Crow House where he designed and built his home, studio and out buildings.
Poor was one of four founders and the first president of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Madison, Maine.
"Other works by Poor
Poor in other collections
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Last updated: April 22, 2026
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