**Early Life and Education**
William Trost Richards, a prominent American landscape artist, was born on November 14, 1833, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Between 1850 and 1855, he studied part-time with the German artist
Paul Weber while working as a designer and illustrator of ornamental metalwork.
**Artistic Career**
Richards' first public exhibit was part of an exhibition in New Bedford, Massachusetts, organized by artist
Albert Bierstadt in 1858. In 1862, he was elected honorary member of the National Academy of Design and Academician in 1871. Richards spent the summers on the East Coast for six years after his return from a one-year trip to Europe in 1866.
**Notable Works and Style**
Richards produced many acclaimed watercolor views of the White Mountains, several of which are now in the collection of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art. His works are featured today in many important American museums, including the
National Gallery, the
Saint Louis Art Museum, and the
Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Richards' style is characterized by meticulous factual renderings, rejecting the romanticized approach of other Hudson River painters. His views of the White Mountains are almost photographic in their realism.
**Legacy**
William Trost Richards's daughter,
Anna Richards Brewster, also became a painter. Richards' works can be found in various museums, including those mentioned above and the
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and
Cystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
**Important Dates:**
* November 14, 1833: Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* 1862: Elected honorary member of the National Academy of Design
* 1871: Elected Academician
* November 8, 1905: Passed away in Newport, Rhode Island