From Philadelphia where he was an active member of the Philadelphia Sketch Club, John Dull studied under Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy.

Although a painter, he became known primarily for as an architect. For many years, he was an architectural design instructor at Drexel Institute where he and Arthur Truscott began the Beaux-Arts style atelier architectural department.

In 1893, he started his own architectural firm that became Dull & Coates and during his career, did church designs, often working in the Beaux Arts style.

Source:
William Patterson & David Zellin, Thomas Eakins and His Fellow Artists at the Philadelphia Sketch Club

John J. Dull, one of Philadelphia's notable artists from the first half of this century, started his career as an architect. As an artist he worked in oil, watercolor, pastel, charcoal and all types of printmaking.

Born in Philadelphia on December 6, 1859, Dull studied art and architecture at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts under Colin Cooper and Thomas Anshutz.

Dull was a professor of architecture at Drexel Institute and later associated himself with the architectural firm of Norman Hulme Associates. When he returned to the arts in the 1930's, Dull taught painting at the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Arts.

Dull's passion was for architecture and many of his pictures feature tall buildings that soar above bustling city streets. The city was a common subject of his works as were the colonial mansions of Fairmount Park. He was a master in capturing the emotion and movement of the early 20th century. During the 1890's, John started painting scenes of the Delaware River. At this time, whaling and fishing schooners were common sights on the water.

Dull received many awards throughout his career, including the Plastic Club Medal in 1903, The Philadelphia Sketch Club Medal in 1905, The Dana Gold Medal from the Pennsylvania Academy Watercolor Exhibition in 1934, O. J. McCarthy Prize in 1941, and the Miniature Society Landscape Prize in 1947.

John was an active member of the Philadelphia Watercolor Club, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, the Philadelphia Art Alliance, and the T-Square Club and received a Fellowship from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

Upon his death in 1949, Dull was honored with a memorial exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Art works by John Dull were acquired by Newman Galleries from the artist's estate through his son, Christian, and later from his son's widow, Katherine F. Dull. Works not signed by John Dull are estate stamped, authorized by Katherine F. Dull.