Thomas Doughty (1793-1856)
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Thomas Doughty was an early American landscape painter credited as one of the founders of the Hudson River school. Born in Pennsylvania, Doughty first began painting in 1816 while working for a leather maker. By 1820, he was able to devote himself fully to art, initially creating sketches in sepia tones. Unlike many other painters at the time, Doughty almost exclusively painted landscapes. He began to paint landscapes just as they were beginning to gain popularity in America and found great success as a result.
Doughty created his earliest compositions with virtually no professional training, and still managed to gain many patrons. By 1832, Doughty was living in Boston and enjoying a relatively successful career. Around this time, he traveled to London and Paris where he studied for two years, and upon returning to the United States, settled in New York. He exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Boston Athenaeum and the National Academy of Design where he was elected as a member in 1827.
Though he traveled abroad to study the works of the old masters, in general, Doughty was completely self taught. By the mid-1830’s, Doughty had formed a style which would be a part of what art historians called the Hudson River school. Doughty was one of the leading members of this movement which featured influences by English landscape artists, touches of the works of French landscape artist Claude Lorraine and a focus on color and detail. Most of the Hudson River school painters created landscapes of the Catskill Mountains and views of its surrounding areas.
Many of these Hudson River style landscapes appear to be highly idealized utopias covered in rolling hills, lush vegetation, winding rivers and grazing cattle. These scenes are very typical among early American landscape artists, of which, Doughty is considered by art historians to be one of the finest. Doughty put his own touch on the Hudson River school of landscape painting by adding a European flair. Unlike other American landscape artists of the time, which were few, Doughty used the methods of the Barbizon school when creating trees in his landscapes, giving them a misty and soft quality. Also, unlike many of his contemporary landscape painters, Doughty preferred to add hunters, dogs and travelers into his landscape rather than livestock.
After the 1830’s Doughty worked mainly out of New York City, he often traveled to other areas of New England and the east coast including Philadelphia, Delaware and Boston. Though he mainly painted landscapes, he also left behind a large collection of sketches, and most certainly also created still life paintings and portraits at some point. He created landscapes not just of New England, but also of the Thames River in England and of the Seine River in France, so there is a possibility of an unknown piece by Doughty surfacing almost anywhere.
Some art historians have also credited him as being a pioneer in American lithography. From 1830 to 1832, Doughty created prints lithographs for his publication “Cabinet of Natural History and American Rural Sports.” These lithographs featured hunting scenes, native animals and birds and was considered the first major sport print color book published in America.
Still wondering about an early American landscape hanging in your home? Contact us…it could be by Thomas Doughty.