Artist. He progressed from an illustrator chronicling the Civil War for "Harper's Weekly" to oil painting and finally watercolors depicting pastoral, woodland scenes and marine subjects. His works are on display in every major museum from coast to coast as well as England and France. During the Civil War, camera photos were black and white and mostly grainy. Homer made firsthand observations with trips to the front, filled his sketchbook with drawings and completed them in photo-like precision and color at his studio in New York City. He was born in Boston to wealthy parents who had opted for him to attend Harvard. He declined, and instead apprenticed himself to a local lithographer where he learned to draw. His painting skill was self-learned, getting tips from various artist of the day including formal instructions from landscape painter Frederic Rondel. He made trips to England and France where his skills were sharpened. Toward the end of his life, Homer became a recluse, locating in Prouts Neck, Maine where he died working in his studio. No formal funeral service was held; he was cremated with his ashes conveyed to the family plot in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Artist. He progressed from an illustrator chronicling the Civil War for "Harper's Weekly" to oil painting and finally watercolors depicting pastoral, woodland scenes and marine subjects. His works are on display in every major museum from coast to coast as well as England and France. During the Civil War, camera photos were black and white and mostly grainy. Homer made firsthand observations with trips to the front, filled his sketchbook with drawings and completed them in photo-like precision and color at his studio in New York City. He was born in Boston to wealthy parents who had opted for him to attend Harvard. He declined, and instead apprenticed himself to a local lithographer where he learned to draw. His painting skill was self-learned, getting tips from various artist of the day including formal instructions from landscape painter Frederic Rondel. He made trips to England and France where his skills were sharpened. Toward the end of his life, Homer became a recluse, locating in Prouts Neck, Maine where he died working in his studio. No formal funeral service was held; he was cremated with his ashes conveyed to the family plot in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Bio by: Donald Greyfield
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