William Stanley Haseltine, an American painter and draftsman, was born on June 11, 1835, in Philadelphia. He is associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting, the Hudson River School and Luminism. His father, John Haseltine, was a successful businessman, and his mother, Elizabeth Shinn Haseltine, was an amateur landscape painter.
Early Life and Education
Haseltine studied at the University of Pennsylvania and then at Harvard University, where he received a degree in 1854. He first exhibited his paintings in 1855 at the
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. After that, he sailed to Europe, joining a colony of American painters studying in Düsseldorf, then traveling up the Rhine into Switzerland and Italy.
Artistic Career
In 1858, Haseltine returned to Philadelphia and by late 1859 was installed in the
Tenth Street Studio Building in New York City. He befriended artists such as
Frederic Edwin Church,
Albert Bierstadt, and
Worthington Whittredge. Haseltine's paintings from this time derived from his European sketches, but he also began to paint the oceanside of New England. His precision in painting these landscapes won critical praise, and he was elected an Associate of the
National Academy of Design in 1860.
Notable Works
Some of Haseltine's notable works include
After a Shower -- Nahant, Massachusetts,
Castle Rocks at Nahant, Massachusetts, and
Isle of Capri: The Faraglioni. His paintings are characterized by their detailed and realistic depictions of the American landscape.
Later Life and Death
Haseltine died of pneumonia in Rome in 1900. He is buried at the
Protestant cemetery in Rome, where he was a founding member of the
Episcopal Church of Saint Paul's Within The Walls. His son,
Herbert Chevalier Haseltine, became one of the most celebrated sculptors of animals.
Important links to explore:
William Stanley Haseltine and
The Hudson River School Art Movement on WahooArt.