Archives: Artists

The twin brothers, John and James Bard were self-taught ship portraitists who created accurate paintings of the steamships and sailing craft which operated around New York, Long Island Sound and the Hudson River areas. Because the vessels depicted were drawn to exact scale after intensive personal observation and measurements, paintings by James Bard and his…

Historically, the best marine painters prove to be those who have a working firsthand knowledge of their subject. This appears true in the case of E.T. Baker. Born in New York City, his formative years were spent with his extended family in the whaling ports of Connecticut. He married a local woman in 1851 and…

A well-traveled artist, painter Henry Bacon is best known for his watercolor depictions of life on the French coast of Normandie. He is also noted for his varied figure paintings composed at the locales of London, Italy, Ceylon, Greece and Egypt. Bacon did not start with a brush in hand. Born in Haverhill, Massachusetts in…

Born in Oswego, New York, the artist at fifteen moved to New York City, training under the hand of the influential marine artist and yacht designer, Archibald Cary Smith. After his formal training, Tyler fused his own very personal style into creating unified depictions of sea, sky and vessel, each put forth with equal expression.…

Painter, lecturer and teacher Maurice Braun was born in Nagy Bittse, Hungary, but had emigrated to New York by age 4. At 20 he began studying art with E.M. Ward and George Maynard at the National Academy of Fine Art, and later with William Merit Chase in New York. In 1902-3 he traveled to Europe…

Dedicated naval officer and marine painter Arthur Beaumont enjoyed an association with the United States Navy that spanned nearly five decades. His classical training as an artist and his fascination for the sea and its vessels gave him the unique opportunity to record history and create fine works of art simultaneously. Born in England, Beaumont…

An American art icon, Albert Bierstadt evolved his artistic style from that of a pastime through years of study to become one of the most successful landscape artists ever. The vast grandeur of his panoramic vistas hold such serene impact that they are rivaled only by the best artists, including his contemporaries, Frederick Church, Thomas…

Many artists struggle to obtain critical and financial success within their lifetimes. This was not the case for Frederick Waugh, although he did have to convince his father, landscape and portrait painter Samuel Bell Waugh, to allow him to pursue his profession. At 19, Waugh attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia and…

Born in New York City, F.A. Silva was forbidden to paint artistically by his father so he became a successful sign painter. Unfulfilled, at the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted in the New York State Militia, serving until 1866. Soon after the war he listed himself as ‘artist’ in New York, devoting himself…

Early American marine artists are more often than not European immigrants taught in the traditions and schools of their native lands. Burnham is a notable exception to this, demonstrating an accomplished style and refined eye in the execution of his marine, landscape and genre paintings. Technically sharp, the joy of an American-born artist painting marines…

Boston born artist George Loring Brown decided on a career as an artist while still in his teens. Initially he apprenticed to American wood engraver Abel Bowen before pursuing more formalized training in Europe. He studied in Paris with Eugene Isabey and was greatly influenced by the work of Lorrain, Ruysdael, and Constable. After returning…

Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Bricher grew up in Newburyport, Massachusetts where he was influenced by the local scenes of artist's such as Fitz Hugh Lane and Martin Johnson Heade. By 1858, after art studies at the Lowell Institute, he was painting full time along the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts. With his strong vision…

Born in Fairhaven, Massachusetts to a Quaker father who was a ship-fitter, Bradford was formally trained in marine art first sharing a studio with Albert van Beest. In the 1860s he opened a studio in New York and began photographing his subjects as a reference to use in finishing paintings in his studio. This technique…

William Birchall was an American born watercolorist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa who later chose to emigrate to England where he settled permanently in Hastings. From his studio there he painted well into the 20th century earning acclaim for his excellent style reminiscent of traditional 19th century marine painting. Painting chiefly in watercolors, Birchall created many…

The first American marine artist- arguably anyway -Birch forms a bridge from the ‘old world masters' to the post-colonial pride of the new world. Built upon the foundations of his father's influence and admiration for the works of french artist Claude-Joseph Vernet, he would produce some of the finest marine paintings of the early 19th…