Robert Walter Weir | |
|---|---|
 Robert Walter Weir, circa 1864 | |
| Born | (1803-06-18)June 18, 1803 New York City,New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 1, 1889(1889-05-01) (aged 85) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Self-taught |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Realism,Hudson River School |
Robert Walter Weir (June 18, 1803 – May 1, 1889) was an American artist and educator and is considered a painter of theHudson River School.[1] Weir was elected to theNational Academy of Design in 1829 and was an instructor at theUnited States Military Academy. His best-known work isEmbarkation of the Pilgrims in theUnited States Capitol rotunda inWashington, D.C.[2] More than 450 of his works are known,[3] and he created many unsigned paintings that may never be attributed to him.[4]
Weir was born to Robert and Mary Katherine Brinckley (or Brinkley) Weir on June 18, 1803 inNew York City.[5] His father worked at mercantile and shipping jobs.[6] His mother Mary is remembered for composing the song "The Lord of the Castle."[7] Robert never graduated from college, and he left a job as a mercantile clerk to pursue painting in 1821 at age 18. He studied art in New York City from 1822 to 1824, teaching himself drawing and painting before departing to study in Italy in 1824.[8] He remained in Florence from 1824 to 1825, then in Rome from 1825 to 1827, during which time he studied the works ofMichelangelo,Raphael, and other Italian masters of theRenaissance. He returned to New York in 1827 to care for a sick friend and remained there until 1834, becoming an integral part of its artistic community. He was appointed as Teacher of Drawing (1834–1846) then Professor of Drawing (1846–1876) at theUnited States Military Academy atWest Point, New York.[2][9]
Weir was the fifth artist to hold the position of art instructor at the academy.[10] During his 42 years (1834–1876) in this post, he instructed many of the future commanders of theAmerican Civil War. Among his notable students at West Point wereJames Abbott McNeill Whistler andSeth Eastman. He also developed a special relationship withUlysses S. Grant.[9] He died in New York City on May 1, 1889.[10]
Weir was married twice and had 16 children.[11] SonJohn Ferguson Weir (born 1841) was a painter and sculptor who became a Member of the National Academy of Design in 1866, and was made director of theYale University Art School in 1868. SonJulian Alden Weir (born 1852) studied under his father and underJ.-L. Gérôme and became a distinguished portrait, figure, and landscape painter. He was one of the founders of theSociety of American Artists in 1877, and he became a member of the National Academy of Design (1886) and of theTen American Painters, New York.[2] Daughter Emma Weir marriedThomas Lincoln Casey Sr., an American army officer andChief of Engineers. Daughter Helen Rutgers Weir marriedThomas Sturgis, a developer ofCheyenne, Wyoming, and the secondNew York City Fire Commissioner.[12] His granddaughter was the educator and artistIrene Weir.
Weir was considered part of theHudson River School of American art. One of his best known paintings isThe Embarkation of the Pilgrims which hangs in theUnited States Capitol rotunda. He was commissioned by theUnited States Congress in 1837 and the painting was placed in the rotunda in December 1843.[13] His canvases deal principally with historical subjects, though he also did several portraits.
Exhibits at theNational Academy of Design frequently included Weir's paintings – seventeen in 1832 alone. Many were alsoengraved and published inThe Token and Atlantic Souvenir annualgift book, reaching a wider audience. Among those areGreek Lovers (1830),Bourbon's Last March (1835),Sunset on the Hudson (1850), andThe Spy (1836), the last of which being inspired byJames Fenimore Cooper's 1821novel of the same name.[14]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Weir, Robert Walter".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 496.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
