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John Vanderlyn was an American Neoclassical painter born in Kingston, New York. The grandson of painter Pieter Vanderlyn, John Vanderlyn originally studied business, only creating art as a hobby. However, after attending art classes at the drawing school of Archibald Robertson, Vanderlyn emerged himself further into his art.

Vanderlyn eventually traveled to Philadelphia where he worked in the studio of Gilbert Stuart. Money was scarce for Vanderlyn at the time, and he was only able to continue his studies through his benefactor, Aaron Burr, whose family he would paint throughout the years. This enabled him to travel to France in 1796, where he stayed for five years, working and studying.

For the next few years, Vanderlyn would continue to travel between the United States and Europe, essentially going to England, Paris and Rome. While in Rome, he painted his famous picture “Marius and the Ruins of Carthage” which he later won a gold medal for in Paris.

This led to relative fame for Vanderlyn and a succession of important paintings would follow. His 1814 painting “Ariadne Asleep on the Island of Naxos,” depicting the classical character in the nude also gained him critical acclaim.

Vanderlyn finally returned to the states for good in 1815, and upon his return, he was commissioned to paint portraits of various important American political figures, among them Washington, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson and Zachary Taylor. At this time, Vanderlyn was also showing panoramas, but neither these nor his portraits brought him much financial success.

Not until 1842 would Vanderlyn come back into the limelight, when he was commissioned by the government to paint “The Landing of Columbus” which was to hang in the rotunda in the nations’ capital. Vanderlyn traveled to Paris to execute this painting, but it is said that he hired a French assistant who most likely painted the entire picture. Vanderlyn died in his hometown of Kingston ten years later, practically penniless and sadly forgotten.

One of the most interesting things about John Vanderlyn is that it is likely that he was the first American born artist to have traveled to France instead of England to receive academic training. Art historians credit Vanderlyn for bringing the Neoclassical style to the United States. Vanderlyn’s style was very academic, and did not typically stray from the artistic tastes of the day into more creative waters.

Today, Vanderlyns’ paintings are housed all over the United States, particularly in New England, and perhaps in your own home. Still wondering about a family portrait or early American landscape hanging in your home? Contact us…it could be by John Vanderlyn