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John Frederick Kensett

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476: 534: 552: 454: 436: 418: 400: 497: 581: 31: 296: 196: 515: 144:, but was from the outset distinguished by a preference for cooler colors and an interest in less dramatic topography, favoring restraint in both palette and composition. The work of Kensett's maturity features tranquil scenery depicted with a spare geometry, culminating in series of paintings in which coastal promontories are balanced against glass-smooth water. He was a founder of the 254:, as they came to be known, were characterized by unselfconscious, nearly invisible brushstrokes used to convey the qualities and effects of atmospheric light. Such effects stemmed from Transcendentalist philosophies of sublime nature and contemplation bringing one closer to spiritual truth. In 1848 he was elected into the 551: 311:
Kensett's style evolved gradually, from the traditional Hudson River School manner in the 1850s into the more refined Luminist style in his later years. By the early 1870s, Kensett was spending considerable time at his home on
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of artists. Kensett's signature works are landscape paintings of New England and New York State, whose clear light and serene surfaces celebrate transcendental qualities of nature, and are associated with
453: 514: 280:, made into an engraving by James Smillie, and distributed to 13,000 Art Union subscribers throughout the country. Other artists painted copies of this scene from the print. 340:
The artist was widely acclaimed and financially successful during his lifetime. In turn, he was generous in support of the arts and artists. He was a full member of the
580: 183:. The two sketched and painted throughout Europe, refining their talents. During this period, Kensett developed an appreciation and affinity for 17th-century Dutch 399: 417: 435: 533: 496: 376:. In 1874 Kensett's brother Thomas gave thirty-eight of his paintings to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, of which half remain in the collection. 327:
It was during this time that Kensett painted some of his finest works. Many of these were spare and luminist seascapes, the prime example being
826: 772:, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Kensett (see index) 764:, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Kensett (see index) 299:
Postcard c. 1914, of Contentment Island. By the early 1870s, Kensett was spending considerable time at his home on Contentment Island, on
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After establishing his studio and settling in New York, Kensett traveled extensively throughout the Northeast and the
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published a similar print in about 1860. This single painting by Kensett helped to popularize the
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Sullivan, Mark W. "John F. Kensett, American Landscape Painter." Diss., Bryn Mawr College, 1981.
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Trafton, Melissa Geisler. " 'It is a Joint Venture': John Frederick Kensett's Images for
612: 461: 365: 321: 304: 231: 132: 295: 1202: 1171: 1126: 1116: 1071: 1066: 981: 966: 571: 364:) and died of heart failure at his New York studio in December 1872. He is interred at 313: 277: 266: 1273: 1268: 1258: 1086: 681: 524: 361: 328: 317: 300: 230:, and New England. He is most closely associated with the "second generation" of the 180: 120: 733:
Sullivan, Mark W. "John F. Kensett at Newport: The Making of a Luminist Painter,"
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area until about 1838, then went to work as a banknote engraver in New York City.
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The first complete biography and factual study of Kensett's work were written by
239: 1253: 1081: 863: 775: 357: 179:, Kensett traveled to Europe to study painting. There he met and traveled with 161: 1421: 1106: 1076: 1046: 951: 859: 289: 211: 184: 94: 164:, and later with his uncle, Alfred Daggett. He worked as an engraver in the 1363: 1298: 1151: 1101: 172: 1283: 946: 854: 567: 227: 219: 141: 746:
Kensett: Artisans in Britain and America in the 18th and 19th centuries
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painting. Kensett and Champney returned to the United States in 1847.
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American Sublime: Landscape Painting in the United States 1820-1880
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as an Associate member and became a full Academician in 1849.
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and studied engraving with his English immigrant father,
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Finding Aid to John Frederick Kensett Papers, 1830-1872
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American Paradise: The World of the Hudson River School
694:, W. W. Norton & Company: New York, New York, 1985. 140:. Kensett's early work owed much to the influence of 119:(March 22, 1816 – December 14, 1872) was an American 156:Born on March 22, 1816, Kensett attended school at 786:White Mountain paintings by John Frederick Kensett 131:. He was a member of the second generation of the 722:Sullivan, Mark W. "Meaning in John F. Kensett's 1419: 748:. London, King's Research Portal, November 2014. 719:, vol. 25, no. 2, Summer 2011, pp. 104–119. 207:as well as making several trips back to Europe. 261:In 1851 Kensett painted a monumental canvas of 820: 769:Art and the empire city: New York, 1825-1861 1399:A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie 798:Metropolitan Museum of Art online catalogue 737:Vol. 138, No. 5 (November 1990), 1030–1041. 697:Johnson, Ellen Hulda. "Kensett Revisited", 827: 813: 692:John Frederick Kensett, An American Master 521:Mount Washington from the Valley of Conway 29: 690:Driscoll, John Paul and John K. Howat. 294: 199:Kensett painting in his studio, ca. 1866 194: 834: 728:Cleveland Studies in the History of Art 1420: 808: 574:, both of whom had painted the lake." 190: 680:, Princeton University Press, 2002. 333:(1872) now in the collection of the 271:Mount Washington from the Valley of 793:145 works by John Frederick Kensett 676:Barringer, Tim and Wilton, Andrew. 618:List of Hudson River School artists 13: 1458:American people of English descent 1448:19th-century American male artists 1392:The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak 1314:Thomas Cole National Historic Site 724:October Day in the White Mountains 705: 14: 1514: 1483:People from Cheshire, Connecticut 753: 730:, Vol. 6 (2001), pp. 48–61. 701:, Spring 1957, pp. 71 – 92. 579: 550: 532: 513: 495: 474: 452: 434: 416: 398: 801:'s collection of Kensett works. 446:Princeton University Art Museum 1463:Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery 1443:19th-century American painters 657: 648: 639: 630: 210:Kensett is best known for his 1: 1478:Luminism (American art style) 670: 645:Barringer and Wilton, 204–209 250:and others, the works of the 1468:Hudson River School painters 1223:Newington-Cropsey Foundation 791:www.JohnFrederickKensett.org 391: 151: 7: 1493:Painters from New York City 1473:American landscape painters 1213:New-York Historical Society 601: 489:Santa Barbara Museum of Art 265:that has become an icon of 10: 1519: 1406:Twilight in the Wilderness 1198:Metropolitan Museum of Art 663:Barrington and Wilton, 134 595:Metropolitan Museum of Art 564:Metropolitan Museum of Art 467:Metropolitan Museum of Art 342:National Academy of Design 335:Metropolitan Museum of Art 256:National Academy of Design 146:Metropolitan Museum of Art 1327: 1241: 1190: 1142:William Louis Sonntag Sr. 1042:Ransome Gillett Holdridge 1022:William Stanley Haseltine 932:Johann Hermann Carmiencke 872: 842: 654:Barringer and Wilton, 208 587:Eaton's Neck, Long Island 507:Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum 410:Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum 379: 330:Eaton's Neck, Long Island 222:and seascapes of coastal 104: 89: 81: 65: 44: 28: 21: 1498:Artists from Connecticut 1228:Tuscaloosa Museum of Art 1132:Thomas Prichard Rossiter 992:Sanford Robinson Gifford 782:, accessed May 18, 2016. 636:Barringer and Wilton, 25 623: 347: 236:Sanford Robinson Gifford 35:John Frederick Kensett ( 1503:Cheshire Academy alumni 1488:American marine artists 1336:Among the Sierra Nevada 1249:Catskill Mountain House 1208:National Gallery of Art 922:Alfred Thompson Bricher 735:The Magazine Antiques, 562:, oil on canvas, 1869, 487:, oil on canvas, 1860. 426:, oil on canvas, 1855. 408:, oil on canvas, 1852. 1453:American male painters 1357:The Heart of the Andes 1182:Alexander Helwig Wyant 1177:Worthington Whittredge 1162:Mary Josephine Walters 1137:Francis Augustus Silva 1122:William Trost Richards 1057:John Frederick Kensett 1032:Hermann Ottomar Herzog 997:Régis François Gignoux 957:Jasper Francis Cropsey 917:James Renwick Brevoort 780:New York State Library 484:Beverly, Massachusetts 308: 244:Jasper Francis Cropsey 200: 117:John Frederick Kensett 23:John Frederick Kensett 1304:Rip Van Winkle Bridge 1279:Kaaterskill High Peak 1147:James Augustus Suydam 1097:Charles Herbert Moore 1002:Eliza Pratt Greatorex 942:Frederic Edwin Church 937:John William Casilear 482:View of the Beach at 388:, published in 1957. 298: 276:was purchased by the 198: 177:John William Casilear 129:Cheshire, Connecticut 59:Cheshire, Connecticut 1350:The Course of Empire 1112:William Sidney Mount 1062:Robert G. L. Leonori 1027:Martin Johnson Heade 1007:Daniel Charles Grose 907:Albert Fitch Bellows 850:Age of Enlightenment 428:St. Louis Art Museum 248:Martin Johnson Heade 171:In 1840, along with 1309:Storm King Mountain 1012:James McDougal Hart 977:Robert S. Duncanson 962:William Moore Davis 927:William Mason Brown 892:John Dodgson Barrow 887:William Bliss Baker 836:Hudson River School 613:History of painting 505:, 1860–1869. 462:Darien, Connecticut 366:Green-Wood Cemetery 352:Kensett contracted 322:Darien, Connecticut 305:Darien, Connecticut 232:Hudson River School 133:Hudson River School 1438:American engravers 1203:Wadsworth Atheneum 1172:Robert Walter Weir 1127:Ferdinand Richardt 1117:Harriet Cany Peale 1072:Homer Dodge Martin 1067:Edmund Darch Lewis 982:Asher Brown Durand 967:Lockwood de Forest 314:Contentment Island 309: 278:American Art Union 267:White Mountain art 201: 191:Established studio 1415: 1414: 1274:Kaaterskill Falls 1269:Kaaterskill Clove 1259:Croton Point Park 1092:Louis Rémy Mignot 1087:Mary Blood Mellen 699:The Art Quarterly 525:Wellesley College 424:Upper Mississippi 362:Long Island Sound 318:Long Island Sound 301:Long Island Sound 181:Benjamin Champney 121:landscape painter 114: 113: 69:December 14, 1872 1510: 1289:North–South Lake 1157:William Guy Wall 987:Hermann Fuechsel 912:Albert Bierstadt 902:Julie Hart Beers 897:Susie M. Barstow 829: 822: 815: 806: 805: 664: 661: 655: 652: 646: 643: 637: 634: 608:Western painting 583: 554: 536: 517: 499: 478: 456: 438: 420: 402: 386:Ellen H. Johnson 282:Currier and Ives 263:Mount Washington 216:upstate New York 205:Colorado Rockies 158:Cheshire Academy 72: 54: 52: 33: 19: 18: 16:American painter 1518: 1517: 1513: 1512: 1511: 1509: 1508: 1507: 1418: 1417: 1416: 1411: 1371:Kindred Spirits 1323: 1237: 1233:Brooklyn Museum 1186: 868: 838: 833: 756: 708: 706:Further reading 673: 668: 667: 662: 658: 653: 649: 644: 640: 635: 631: 626: 604: 597: 584: 575: 555: 546: 544:Brooklyn Museum 537: 528: 518: 509: 500: 491: 479: 470: 469:, New York City 457: 448: 439: 430: 421: 412: 406:Trout Fisherman 403: 394: 382: 350: 240:Fitz Henry Lane 193: 154: 77: 74: 70: 61: 56: 50: 48: 40: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1516: 1506: 1505: 1500: 1495: 1490: 1485: 1480: 1475: 1470: 1465: 1460: 1455: 1450: 1445: 1440: 1435: 1430: 1413: 1412: 1410: 1409: 1402: 1395: 1388: 1381: 1374: 1367: 1360: 1353: 1346: 1339: 1331: 1329: 1325: 1324: 1322: 1321: 1316: 1311: 1306: 1301: 1296: 1291: 1286: 1281: 1276: 1271: 1266: 1261: 1256: 1254:Crawford Notch 1251: 1245: 1243: 1239: 1238: 1236: 1235: 1230: 1225: 1220: 1215: 1210: 1205: 1200: 1194: 1192: 1188: 1187: 1185: 1184: 1179: 1174: 1169: 1164: 1159: 1154: 1149: 1144: 1139: 1134: 1129: 1124: 1119: 1114: 1109: 1104: 1099: 1094: 1089: 1084: 1082:Jervis McEntee 1079: 1074: 1069: 1064: 1059: 1054: 1049: 1044: 1039: 1034: 1029: 1024: 1019: 1014: 1009: 1004: 999: 994: 989: 984: 979: 974: 972:Thomas Doughty 969: 964: 959: 954: 949: 944: 939: 934: 929: 924: 919: 914: 909: 904: 899: 894: 889: 884: 878: 876: 870: 869: 867: 866: 857: 852: 846: 844: 840: 839: 832: 831: 824: 817: 809: 803: 802: 794: 788: 783: 773: 765: 755: 754:External links 752: 751: 750: 744:Levitt, Ruth. 741: 738: 731: 720: 707: 704: 703: 702: 695: 688: 672: 669: 666: 665: 656: 647: 638: 628: 627: 625: 622: 621: 620: 615: 610: 603: 600: 599: 598: 585: 578: 576: 556: 549: 547: 538: 531: 529: 519: 512: 510: 501: 494: 492: 480: 473: 471: 460:The Old Pine, 458: 451: 449: 440: 433: 431: 422: 415: 413: 404: 397: 393: 390: 381: 378: 358:Vincent Colyer 349: 346: 286:White Mountain 192: 189: 162:Thomas Kensett 153: 150: 112: 111: 106: 102: 101: 91: 90:Known for 87: 86: 83: 79: 78: 75: 73:(aged 56) 67: 63: 62: 57: 55:March 22, 1816 46: 42: 41: 34: 26: 25: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1515: 1504: 1501: 1499: 1496: 1494: 1491: 1489: 1486: 1484: 1481: 1479: 1476: 1474: 1471: 1469: 1466: 1464: 1461: 1459: 1456: 1454: 1451: 1449: 1446: 1444: 1441: 1439: 1436: 1434: 1431: 1429: 1426: 1425: 1423: 1408: 1407: 1403: 1401: 1400: 1396: 1394: 1393: 1389: 1387: 1386: 1382: 1380: 1379: 1375: 1373: 1372: 1368: 1366: 1365: 1361: 1359: 1358: 1354: 1352: 1351: 1347: 1345: 1344: 1343:The Catskills 1340: 1338: 1337: 1333: 1332: 1330: 1326: 1320: 1317: 1315: 1312: 1310: 1307: 1305: 1302: 1300: 1297: 1295: 1292: 1290: 1287: 1285: 1282: 1280: 1277: 1275: 1272: 1270: 1267: 1265: 1262: 1260: 1257: 1255: 1252: 1250: 1247: 1246: 1244: 1240: 1234: 1231: 1229: 1226: 1224: 1221: 1219: 1218:Cooper Hewitt 1216: 1214: 1211: 1209: 1206: 1204: 1201: 1199: 1196: 1195: 1193: 1189: 1183: 1180: 1178: 1175: 1173: 1170: 1168: 1165: 1163: 1160: 1158: 1155: 1153: 1150: 1148: 1145: 1143: 1140: 1138: 1135: 1133: 1130: 1128: 1125: 1123: 1120: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1110: 1108: 1107:Evelina Mount 1105: 1103: 1100: 1098: 1095: 1093: 1090: 1088: 1085: 1083: 1080: 1078: 1077:George McCord 1075: 1073: 1070: 1068: 1065: 1063: 1060: 1058: 1055: 1053: 1052:David Johnson 1050: 1048: 1047:George Inness 1045: 1043: 1040: 1038: 1035: 1033: 1030: 1028: 1025: 1023: 1020: 1018: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1008: 1005: 1003: 1000: 998: 995: 993: 990: 988: 985: 983: 980: 978: 975: 973: 970: 968: 965: 963: 960: 958: 955: 953: 952:Samuel Colman 950: 948: 945: 943: 940: 938: 935: 933: 930: 928: 925: 923: 920: 918: 915: 913: 910: 908: 905: 903: 900: 898: 895: 893: 890: 888: 885: 883: 882:Charles Baker 880: 879: 877: 875: 871: 865: 861: 858: 856: 853: 851: 848: 847: 845: 841: 837: 830: 825: 823: 818: 816: 811: 810: 807: 800: 799: 795: 792: 789: 787: 784: 781: 777: 774: 771: 770: 766: 763: 762: 758: 757: 749: 747: 742: 739: 736: 732: 729: 725: 721: 718: 714: 710: 709: 700: 696: 693: 689: 687: 686:0-691-09670-8 683: 679: 675: 674: 660: 651: 642: 633: 629: 619: 616: 614: 611: 609: 606: 605: 596: 592: 588: 582: 577: 573: 569: 565: 561: 560: 553: 548: 545: 541: 535: 530: 526: 522: 516: 511: 508: 504: 498: 493: 490: 486: 485: 477: 472: 468: 464: 463: 455: 450: 447: 443: 437: 432: 429: 425: 419: 414: 411: 407: 401: 396: 395: 389: 387: 377: 375: 371: 367: 363: 359: 355: 345: 343: 338: 337:in New York. 336: 332: 331: 325: 323: 319: 315: 306: 302: 297: 293: 291: 290:New Hampshire 287: 283: 279: 275: 274: 268: 264: 259: 257: 253: 249: 245: 241: 237: 234:. Along with 233: 229: 225: 221: 217: 213: 208: 206: 197: 188: 186: 182: 178: 174: 169: 167: 163: 159: 149: 147: 143: 139: 134: 130: 126: 122: 118: 110: 107: 103: 100: 96: 95:Landscape art 92: 88: 84: 80: 76:New York City 68: 64: 60: 47: 43: 38: 37:David Johnson 32: 27: 20: 1404: 1397: 1390: 1383: 1376: 1369: 1364:The Icebergs 1362: 1355: 1348: 1341: 1334: 1299:Platte Clove 1152:Jesse Talbot 1102:Thomas Moran 1056: 1017:William Hart 860:Victorianism 797: 768: 760: 745: 734: 727: 723: 717:American Art 716: 713:Lotus-Eating 712: 698: 691: 677: 659: 650: 641: 632: 593:, 1872, The 586: 557: 539: 523:, 1869, The 520: 502: 481: 459: 441: 423: 405: 383: 351: 339: 329: 326: 310: 270: 260: 209: 202: 173:Asher Durand 170: 155: 116: 115: 71:(1872-12-14) 1433:1872 deaths 1428:1816 births 1284:Lake Mohonk 1037:Thomas Hill 947:Thomas Cole 855:Romanticism 559:Lake George 540:Lake George 503:Lake George 465:, c. 1872, 444:, c. 1870, 442:Lake George 252:"Luminists" 228:Long Island 220:New England 142:Thomas Cole 82:Nationality 1422:Categories 1167:Paul Weber 671:References 288:region of 224:New Jersey 93:Painting, 51:1816-03-22 1385:The Oxbow 1319:Hyde Park 1264:Ever Rest 1242:Locations 843:Movements 392:Paintings 354:pneumonia 212:landscape 185:landscape 166:New Haven 152:Biography 99:Engraving 602:See also 591:New York 374:New York 370:Brooklyn 138:Luminism 127:born in 125:engraver 109:Luminism 105:Movement 85:American 1378:Niagara 1191:Museums 874:Artists 864:Realism 778:at the 39:, 1874) 684:  572:Durand 527:Museum 380:Legacy 273:Conway 1328:Works 1294:Olana 624:Notes 348:Death 320:near 316:, on 303:near 726:", 682:ISBN 570:and 568:Cole 218:and 175:and 123:and 66:Died 45:Born 715:", 589:in 368:in 360:in 269:. 214:of 1424:: 862:/ 542:– 372:, 324:. 292:. 246:, 242:, 238:, 226:, 148:. 97:, 828:e 821:t 814:v 307:. 53:) 49:(

Index


David Johnson
Cheshire, Connecticut
Landscape art
Engraving
Luminism
landscape painter
engraver
Cheshire, Connecticut
Hudson River School
Luminism
Thomas Cole
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Cheshire Academy
Thomas Kensett
New Haven
Asher Durand
John William Casilear
Benjamin Champney
landscape

Colorado Rockies
landscape
upstate New York
New England
New Jersey
Long Island
Hudson River School
Sanford Robinson Gifford
Fitz Henry Lane

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