Archives: Artists

Born in 1817 in Middlesex County, Great Britain, James Edward Buttersworth was the son of important English sea painter Thomas Buttersworth. Settling in New York in 1845, he soon established himself as one of America’s leading marine artists. For the most part he signed his works J.E. Buttersworth. During the next period of his life,…

Robert Salmon is undoubtedly one of the most important painters in marine art history. He played a crucial role in the development of maritime art in America. He is widely considered the father of American luminism with a style of painting that was to influence the likes of Fitz Hugh Lane, William Bradford and many…

Born in Leicester, England, John Stobart began his artistic education at the Derby College of Art in 1946 and then studied at the Royal Academy between 1950-56. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1952 and was elected to the Royal Society of Marine Artists in 1956. Living in Farnham in the 1960s, he…

The early ship’s portraitist William G. Yorke was born in New Brunswick in 1817. As an "artisan artist" Yorke was a highly skilled shipwright who painted ships to supplement his income. In 1848 he moved to Liverpool, which was rapidly becoming the hub of ocean going commerce. He became so successful as a marine artist…

Born in Gloucester, England in 1830, Raleigh was a sailor from boyhood, running away to sea at age ten aboard a British naval vessel commanded by his uncle. He served in the American navy during the Mexican war and later served as a merchant seaman. In 1877 he settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts and was…

Charles Parsons is a name which deserves to be widely recognized throughout American art circles. An accomplished watercolorists and a lithographer nearly without peer, he served as the art director for Harper's Weekly and Magazine from 1863 to 1889. As such he was instrumental in the development of the art of American illustration and directly…

Drawing upon his innate skill and familiar knowledge of sailing ships, Captain John Blount turned to his latent artistic talents while laid up with an injury. His technically precise brush and accomplished eye led to his continued professional interest in nautical art. As such, he was one of very few period marine painters of San…

Born in Portsmouth, England, the son of a marble cutter, Bonfield emigrated to America with his family in 1816. He settled in Philadelphia where, while working at the estate of Napoleon Bonaparte’s exiled brother, Joseph Bonaparte, was encouraged by the French ex-patriot to begin a painting career. A painting exhibited by Bonfield at the Pennsylvania…

Born in England, Thomas Chambers emigrated to America in 1832. He painted first in New York, and later in Boston and Albany. Along with other painters of the early 19th century who came from Europe to settle and work in America, chambers would make a major contribution to the early development of American marine art.…

William Hare was born in England around 1815 and had immigrated to America by 1842 where he established his studio in Baltimore. He would live in Baltimore and paint marine views and ship portraits such as this for the remainder of his life.

Frederick Pawla was born in England in 1877 and studied art in Europe prior to emigrating permanently to the united states in the early part of this century. Pawla was active in New York City before moving to Santa Barbara, California where he exhibited locally and maintained his residence and studio through the 1940s. Pawla…

Born on the Isle of Wight, Russell migrated to New Brunswick in 1852 where he made sketches for the Illustrated London News. In 1870 he began specializing in marines and ship portraiture, creating several travel booklets for the International Steamship Co. And the Providence and Baltimore steamship lines. In 1895 he moved to Boston where…

American artist Alfred R. Waud is an important figure, noted for works he did as an artist-correspondent during the American Civil War. The first-hand sketches drawn at the battles and events were sent by couriers directly to the publishers employing Waud. Often these were the most immediate and only images available to the American public…

This Philadelphia area artist was born in England and emigrated to America in 1823. He stayed in Pennsylvania until 1836, and returned for the years 1847-67. He exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy in 1829, 1830 and 1844. He also spent a few years in New Orleans, 1843-45, during which time this painting is believed to…