INNESS, myiis, GrottnE An Ameri can landscape painter. Ile was horn 1, 1525, at Newburg. N. V. lie took his first draw ing lessons when fourteen years of a!re, but two years later he entered a store in Newark. N. J., and soon afterualik accepted a position for one year with a firm of inap-engravers. In 1543 he studied and made sketches from nature near Newark, and two years later he worked for a short, time in the studio of 'Regis Gignoux, at New York. ale opened a studio of his own in that city, and through a patron and friend was oflered a trip abroad. lle spent fifteen months in Italy. and in 1 5 7,0 he spent one year in France. On his return he first,' lived in the vicinity of Boston. but in made his home in Eagles wood. near Perth Amboy, N. J. In 1 505 he was elected It member of the National Academy. The latter part of his life was spent in and mar New York. IIe died at the Bridge of Allan, Scotland, August 3. 1594. He was a man of high intellectual qualities. of keen wit, always ready to express his thoughts on art subjects with strong, elear statements.
Inness is generally considered the greatest American landscape painter. His style resem bles that of the Fontainehleau-Barbison group. Ilk subjects included the pageants of sunrise. high moon, sunset, and evening; each picture seeming to pulsate with luminous qualities, at mospheric -harm. and poetical conception. He has been called a 'color poet.' 11 is work., as to
style, may be classed into two periods. The first period includes his early years of conscien tions study, when great importance was given to detail, and an intimate knowledge of all the forms of nature; the subjects of these paintings were panoramic in •haracter, although always Rood in composition and color-tone. After 1878 his works were rather the interpretation of some passing effect or emotion; they 'were full of per sonality, and arc expressed with great breadth und simplicity in technique.
There was a notable exhibition of his paint ings, numbering Iwo hundred and forty, held at the Fine Arts Building. New lurk. in 14ecember, 1894; and a sale 01 sonic of the best known as the 'Halsted Collection. in I545, uvbieh brought large prices and much attention from the public. Alany well known amateurs possess works painted by him, and there are live in the Metropolitan _Museum of Art, New York. _kinong, the most important of his works are: "Under the Greenwood:" "l'Iose of a Stormy Day:" "Loitering:" "Pine Groves of Barberini Villa," Aletropolitan 'Iiisetini; "An Autumn 'Alorning;" ".Itittinin Gold" (1 5 5 5); "The Edge of the For est" ( 1891 1; 'Tenafly Oaks" (1892) Passing Storm:" "Near the Village" (1592) ; "Moonrise" (1580 ; "Winter :Morning, :Nlinitclair, New Jer sey" (1894).