Asher Brown Durand Giclée Fine Art Prints

Asher Brown Durand emerges as a pivotal figure in the tapestry of American art, bridging the meticulous craft of engraving with the expansive vision of landscape painting. Born on August 21, 1796, in Jefferson Village, New Jersey, Durand's early life was intertwined with precision and detail, apprenticed as he was to his father, a watchmaker and silversmith. This foundation in exacting craftsmanship perhaps foreshadowed his later devotion to capturing the nuances of the natural world.

From 1812 to 1817, Durand honed his skills under the engraver Peter Maverick, eventually forming a partnership that led him to New York. It was there, amidst the city's burgeoning cultural scene, that he began informal studies at the American Academy of Fine Arts. John Trumbull, the Academy's president, recognized Durand's talent and commissioned him to engrave "The Declaration of Independence." This work didn't merely elevate his status; it cemented his reputation as a leading engraver capable of translating grand ideas onto intimate surfaces.

The 1820s and 1830s found Durand deeply embedded in New York's artistic circles. As a founding member of the New York Drawing Association - which evolved into the National Academy of Design - he was instrumental in shaping the direction of American art. His involvement with groups like the Bread and Cheese Club and the Sketch Club reflects a man engaged not just with art but with the intellectual currents of his time. Yet, despite his success in engraving, a transformation was on the horizon.

Around 1835, inspired by the landscapes of Thomas Cole and encouraged by patrons like Luman Reed, Durand began to pivot toward painting. This wasn't a mere change of medium; it was a profound shift in perspective. The sketching trip to the Adirondacks in 1837 with Cole was a revelation. The wilderness spoke to him, and his subsequent landscapes weren't just depictions - they were meditations on nature's grandeur. His contributions to the National Academy exhibitions signaled a new chapter, one where the American landscape took center stage.

Durand's European journey in 1840, alongside fellow artists like John F. Kensett, allowed him to study the Old Masters, particularly Claude Lorrain. Yet, upon returning, he chose not to emulate but to forge his own path. Elected president of the National Academy in 1845, he advocated for a direct communion with nature. His paintings from this period are characterized by meticulous detail and a luminous quality that captures the interplay of light and atmosphere. They echo the poetic sensibilities of his friend William Cullen Bryant, with some works directly drawing inspiration from Bryant's verses.

Following Thomas Cole's death in 1848, Durand assumed a leadership role within the Hudson River School. His painting "Kindred Spirits" (1849) stands as a tribute to Cole and encapsulates his artistic philosophy. The 1850s saw him perfecting compositional forms that became hallmarks of American landscape painting. Through his "Letters on Landscape Painting" published in 1855, Durand articulated a vision rooted in sincerity and direct observation, aligning with but also distinct from the ideas of John Ruskin.

In his later years, Durand returned to his New Jersey roots, moving back to Maplewood in 1869. There, he continued to paint, revisiting earlier themes with a newfound softness and atmospheric depth. His work during the 1870s reflects a lifetime of engagement with the natural world, each canvas a quiet testament to his enduring fascination. When he passed away on September 17, 1886, Durand left behind more than a legacy of art; he left a legacy of seeing, teaching generations to come the profound beauty found in the careful observation of nature.