John Frederick Kensett
John Frederick Kensett was an American artist who lived from 1816 to 1872. He was part of the second generation of the Hudson River School of Art movement, sometimes referred to as Luminism. Along with fellow artists Jasper Cropsey and Fitz Lane, Kensett became a leader of the second generation. Their aim was to use the brush, however bold, to give atmospheric lighting to their work.
Kensett was born in Cheshire, Connecticut to an immigrant family. Early on, he trained as an engraver and banknote engraver with both his father and uncle. In 1838, Kensett moved to New York City to work at a banknote company. It was there that he met and befriended his fellow landscape artists of the Hudson River School of Art.
In 1840, Kensett traveled to Europe with landscape artists Asher B. Durand, Thomas P. Rossiter, and John William Casilear to study painting. He stayed for seven years, visiting museums, monuments, and the studios of well-known artists. Kensett spent a lot of time in England where he had family and was exposed to the work of John Constable which had a profound effect on him. Upon his return back to the states, Kensett set up a studio in New York City. From there, he traveled to gather material for his art, mostly around the Northeast, but out west as well. Inspired by the work of Thomas Cole, he joined in with the themes and vision of the Hudson River School of Art, including the idea of finding spirituality in nature.
Kensett sought to differentiate his work from other Hudson River School artists by using a more subtle and muted color palette. His work in engraving had prepared him with techniques for how to depict the slighter changes. He used gradual changes to play on the light in the scene with fantastic results. Kensett’s art was well-received and sought after by collectors and he quickly rose to prominence in the art world. In 1849, Kensett became a member of the National Academy of Design. Along with notable artists such as Eastman Johnson and Frederic Edwin Church, Kensett was one of the founders of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 1870. Kensett was very successful in his day, and his art helped to refine the Luminism style. He was sociable and well-liked, which likely had a beneficial effect on the popularity of his work.
In 1867, Kensett purchased land on a small island off the coast of Connecticut in the Long Island Sound. It was here in 1872 that he would attempt to save the wife of his friend from drowning. Unfortunately, he was not successful, and the experience led him to contract pneumonia. He died soon after of heart failure in 1872 at just 56 years old.
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