One of the earliest and most prolific artist-naturalists to work in America, John Abbot was born in London in 1751, the son of an attorney. Abbot wrote in his manuscript, Notes on My Life, that he acquired "an early taste for drawing, which might be much increased by my father having a large & valuable collection of prints, ... MORE

Artist, teacher, activist, critic, and author Benny Andrews ascended from the humblest of Southern beginnings to the loftiest stages of American art. A native of rural Georgia, Andrews was one of ten children born to sharecropper parents. Though his proper schooling was necessarily sporadic, Andrews and his siblings were encouraged in their ... MORE

Born in Lambeth, England, George Henry Andrews was educated as an engineer. The source of his artistic training is unknown, but by 1840 he was an active book illustrator and by 1847 was listed as a member of the art staff of the Illustrated London News. It was through his work on this newspaper--as well as other periodicals such as ... MORE

A native of Germany, Edward Everard Arnold began his artistic career as a jack-of-all-trades. By 1850, he had settled in New Orleans, and city directories from that time until his death in 1866 variously list him as a lithographer, sign painter, and fancy painter. However, it is for his ship portraits, scenes of naval engagements, and other ... MORE

This painting by an unidentified artist depicts the naval battle between the Confederate privateer, C.S.S. Petrel, and the Union frigate, U.S.S. St. Lawrence. The engagement took place on July 28, 1861, just outside Charleston Harbor, and resulted in the sinking of the Petrel and capture of its crew.

This two-masted ... MORE

A native of Staten Island, New York, Edmund Ashe studied at the Metropolitan Art School and at the Art Students League with Charles Vanderhoof and John Stimson. Described as a "darn fine pen and ink man who later took up painting," he began his career as an illustrator, producing drawings for various magazines, including Colliers, ... MORE