INNESS, George, American painter: b. Newburg, N. Y., 1 May i825; d. Bridge of Allan, Scotland, 3 Aug. 1894. His art educa tion began in boyhood and when 16 years of age he learned map engraving. He first at tempted nature sketching in 1843, when he showed such promise that he was admitted into the studio of Regis Gignoux, New York; but soon opened a studio for himself and through the liberality of a patron was enabled to visit Europe. After spending 15 months in Italy and one year (1850) in France he finally made his home at Eagleswood, near Perth Amboy, N, J. He was looked upon as the first among Amer ican landscape painters, and was not only a clever and imaginative interpreter of the scen ery among which he lived, but a man of intel lect, a thoughtful, yet bold theorist on art sub jects and an incisive critic. He had a keen appreciation of American scenery, and the sky and atmosphere of the eastern States were sympathetically portrayed with an earnestness that recalls the sentiment of the Fontainebleau Barbizon school. His paintings age dis tinguished conscientious care for detail, vivid perception of color, and the panoramic breadth of a bold and unconventional original ity. After 1878 his style had ripened, and his
technique grew simpler and less highly elabor ated. He was willing to sacrifice all cleverness of touch in handling detail for the sake of portraying the emotion, or transitory effect of light and cloud in a landscape, the perturba tion of storm or wind, the pageant of sunset, or the magic calm of a moonlight scene. In such productions his command of color was very remarkable. His pictures are much prized by connoisseurs, and when offered for sale com mand high prices. Five of them are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Among the finest are 'Under the Greenwood' ; 'Close of a Stormy Day' ; 'Pine Groves of Barberini Villa' ; 'An Autumn Morning); 'Autumn Gold' ; 'The Edge of the Forest' ; 'Passing Storm) •, 'Moonrise' ; 'Winter Morn ing, Montclair, New Jersey.' Consult Caffin, C. H., 'American Masters. of (New York 1902) ; Daingerfield, E., 'George Inness, The Man and his art) (New York 1911), and 'Fifty Paintings by George Inness> (New York 1913) ; Trumble, A., 'George Inness, a Memorial' (New York 1895).