George Inness Sr. (1825-1894)
Born to a large family in Newburgh, New York, George Inness was the son of a grocer. He showed interest in drawing from an early age, and was encouraged by local teachers in the Newark area, where the family moved in 1829 or 1830.
Thwarted in pursuing an art career by his family and recurring bouts of epilepsy, Inness moved to New York City in 1841. He took a position as a map engraver with the firm of Sherman and Smith, teaching himself to paint during his off hours. At this time he also studied briefly with the French immigrant painter Regis Francois Gignoux. At the age of 19, Inness exhibited his first canvas at the National Academy. A trip to France in the mid 1850s was extremely influential, as he became enamoured with the style of the painters of the Barbizon School.
In 1860 he settled in Medfield, Massachusetts, while maintaining his New York studio. This period coincides with a more mature self-assured style and his burgeoning critical success. He remained in Massachusetts for only four years, before moving to Eagleswood, New Jersey, but the influence of the Medfield years is reflected throughout the remainder of his career. In his book Inness, Genius of American Art, Elliott Daingerfield points out that during periods of stress and difficulty Inness would often retire to the country to recuperate in the presence of nature.
Note courtesy of Skinner Inc.