William Hart, American. (1823-1894).
William Hart was an important painter and an influential teacher of the Hudson River School.
His family included fellow artists James, and Julie Hart Beers. Hart immigrated to America
from Scotland in 1851 and settled in Albany, NY. He was self-taught as an artist and was
painting portraits by the time he was 18.
He left Albany after 1840 and traveled widely including time spent in Virginia, and Michigan.
Hart returned to Albany in 1847 and opened a studio in 1854 where he became well known for his
idyllic landscapes. Hart later moved to Brooklyn where he became the first president of the
Brooklyn Academy of Design.
Hart's favorite subject matter was a herd of cattle drinking at a stream. According to the style
of the day, Hart blended the real and the ideal to give an atmosphere of peace and serenity.
Contemporary critics spoke of his ability to be "faithful to nature" and yet convey
"a poetic sentiment". His paintings were engraved over and over again for the gift books and
art journals of his time.
Hart's paintings are included in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC,
the National Museum of American Art, Wash. D.C. , the National Academy of Design, NYC,
the New York Historical Society, the Albany Institute of Art, and Vassar College, among others.
Signed lower right.
Oil on panel. 3" x 5"