Weir was born to Robert and Mary Katherine Brinckley (or Brinkley) Weir on June 18, 1803 in New York City.[4] His father worked at mercantile and shipping jobs.[citation needed] His mother Mary is remembered for composing the song "The Lord of the Castle."[5] Robert never graduated from college, and he left a job as a mercantile clerk to pursue painting in 1821 at age 18. He studied art in New York City from 1822 to 1824, teaching himself drawing and painting before departing to study in Italy in 1824.[6] He remained in Florence from 1824 to 1825, then in Rome from 1825 to 1827, during which time he studied the works of Michelangelo, Raphael, and other Italian masters of the Renaissance. He returned to New York in 1827 to care for a sick friend and remained there until 1834, becoming an integral part of its artistic community. He was appointed as Teacher of Drawing (1834–1846) then Professor of Drawing (1846–1876) at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.[2][7]
Weir was the fifth artist to hold the position of art instructor at the academy.[8] During his 42 years (1834–1876) in this post, he instructed many of the future commanders of the American Civil War. Among his notable students at West Point were James Abbott McNeill Whistler and Seth Eastman. He also developed a special relationship with Ulysses S. Grant.[7] He died in New York City on May 1, 1889.[8]
Weir was considered part of the Hudson River School of American art. One of his best known paintings is The Embarkation of the Pilgrims which hangs in the United States Capitol rotunda. He was commissioned by the United States Congress in 1837 and the painting was placed in the rotunda in December 1843.[11] His canvases deal principally with historical subjects, though he also did several portraits.
Worksedit
Paul Preaching at Athens
Two portraits of Sylvanus Thayer [Pappus, p. 210]
Embarkation of the Pilgrims at Delft Haven, Holland, July 22, 1620
^. Math.usma.edu. 2000-11-28. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2012-05-20.
^ abcOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Weir, Robert Walter". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 496.
^"Robert Walter Weir Paintings". RobertWalterWeir.com. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
^Webber, Richard (October 1930). "Birthplace of Robert Walter Weir, Artist". New-York Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin. 14.
^Claghorn, Charles Eugene, 1911-2005. (1996). Women composers and songwriters : a concise biographical dictionary. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN0-585-03162-2. OCLC 42329817.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Kent Ahrens,"The Portraits of Robert Weir," American Art Journal, Vol. 6, No. 1, p. 4
^Untitled, Hawk-Eye (Burlington, Iowa), 13 June 1844
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Walter Weir.
Art and the empire city: New York, 1825-1861, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Robert Walter Weir (see index)
Catalogue of oil paintings and water colors by Robert W. Weir, an auction catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF)
Catalogue of oil paintings and water colors by Robert W. Weir, at archive.org, as the MMA one disappeared
New York Times article retrieved December 14, 2007
Artwork by Robert Walter Weir
Askart.com, io information retrieved December 14, 2007
Finding aid authors: Dennis Rowley and Loretta Trentman (2014). "Weir family papers". Prepared for the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Provo, UT. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
April 08, 2024
robert, walter, weir, june, 1803, 1889, american, artist, educator, considered, painter, hudson, river, school, weir, elected, national, academy, design, 1829, instructor, united, states, military, academy, best, known, work, embarkation, pilgrims, united, sta. Robert Walter Weir June 18 1803 May 1 1889 was an American artist and educator and is considered a painter of the Hudson River School 1 Weir was elected to the National Academy of Design in 1829 and was an instructor at the United States Military Academy His best known work is Embarkation of the Pilgrims in the United States Capitol rotunda in Washington D C 2 More than 450 of his works are known 3 and he created many unsigned paintings that may never be attributed to him Robert Walter WeirRobert Walter Weir circa 1864Born 1803 06 18 June 18 1803New York City New York U S DiedMay 1 1889 1889 05 01 aged 85 New York City New York U S NationalityAmericanEducationSelf taughtKnown forPaintingMovementRealism Hudson River School Contents 1 Life and career 1 1 Children 2 Works 2 1 Works 3 Portraits 4 Other works 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksLife and career edit nbsp The Entrance To A Wood 1836 watercolor and graphite on paper at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York CityWeir was born to Robert and Mary Katherine Brinckley or Brinkley Weir on June 18 1803 in New York City 4 His father worked at mercantile and shipping jobs citation needed His mother Mary is remembered for composing the song The Lord of the Castle 5 Robert never graduated from college and he left a job as a mercantile clerk to pursue painting in 1821 at age 18 He studied art in New York City from 1822 to 1824 teaching himself drawing and painting before departing to study in Italy in 1824 6 He remained in Florence from 1824 to 1825 then in Rome from 1825 to 1827 during which time he studied the works of Michelangelo Raphael and other Italian masters of the Renaissance He returned to New York in 1827 to care for a sick friend and remained there until 1834 becoming an integral part of its artistic community He was appointed as Teacher of Drawing 1834 1846 then Professor of Drawing 1846 1876 at the United States Military Academy at West Point New York 2 7 Weir was the fifth artist to hold the position of art instructor at the academy 8 During his 42 years 1834 1876 in this post he instructed many of the future commanders of the American Civil War Among his notable students at West Point were James Abbott McNeill Whistler and Seth Eastman He also developed a special relationship with Ulysses S Grant 7 He died in New York City on May 1 1889 8 Children edit Weir was married twice and had 16 children 9 Son John Ferguson Weir born 1841 was a painter and sculptor who became a Member of the National Academy of Design in 1866 and was made director of the Yale University Art School in 1868 Son Julian Alden Weir born 1852 studied under his father and under J L Gerome and became a distinguished portrait figure and landscape painter He was one of the founders of the Society of American Artists in 1877 and he became a member of the National Academy of Design 1886 and of the Ten American Painters New York 2 Daughter Emma Weir married Thomas Lincoln Casey Sr an American army officer and Chief of Engineers Daughter Helen Rutgers Weir married Thomas Sturgis a developer of Cheyenne Wyoming and the second New York City Fire Commissioner 10 His granddaughter was the educator and artist Irene Weir Works edit nbsp The Greenwich Boat Club 1833 Princeton University Art Museum nbsp Embarkation of the Pilgrims commissioned 1837 placed 1844 oil on canvas 12 x 18 feet United States Capitol Rotunda Washington DCWeir was considered part of the Hudson River School of American art One of his best known paintings is The Embarkation of the Pilgrims which hangs in the United States Capitol rotunda He was commissioned by the United States Congress in 1837 and the painting was placed in the rotunda in December 1843 11 His canvases deal principally with historical subjects though he also did several portraits Works edit Paul Preaching at Athens Two portraits of Sylvanus Thayer Pappus p 210 Embarkation of the Pilgrims at Delft Haven Holland July 22 1620 Picnic Along the Hudson 12 Saint Nicholas 1837 13 in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum 14 Landing of Hendrik Hudson 1842 Amerigo Vespucci 1842 A Compositor Setting Type ca 1844 15 Portrait of Robert E Lee One of only two portraits of Lee painted before the Civil War Microscope 1849 Evening of the Crucifixion 1867 Virgil and Dante crossing the Styx 1869 Seascape with Lighthouse 1869 Exhibited at Whitney Museum New York 1975 in exhibition entitled Seascape and the American Imagination The Portico of the Palace of Octavia Rome 1870 Net Mending on Nantucket 1870 Christ in the Garden 1873 Our Lord in the Mount of Olives 1877 Indian Falls 1878 Titan in his Studio Columbus before the Council of Salamanca 1884 The Bourbons Last March Indian Captive Taking the Veil The Evening of the Crucifixion Portrait of Jared Mansfield Portrait of General Winfield Scott Portrait of Dennis Hart Mahan Il PenserosoPortraits edit nbsp John Canfield Spencer nbsp James Monroe after Durand and Stuart nbsp Winfield Scott nbsp John EatonOther works edit nbsp Saint Nicholas 1837 nbsp The Microscope 1849 nbsp Taking the Veil 1863 nbsp The Hudson River from Hoboken 1878See also editList of Hudson River School artistsReferences edit Robert W Math usma edu 2000 11 28 Archived from the original on 2012 09 29 Retrieved 2012 05 20 a b c nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Weir Robert Walter Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 28 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 496 Robert Walter Weir Paintings RobertWalterWeir com Retrieved 13 May 2019 Webber Richard October 1930 Birthplace of Robert Walter Weir Artist New York Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin 14 Claghorn Charles Eugene 1911 2005 1996 Women composers and songwriters a concise biographical dictionary Lanham Md Scarecrow Press ISBN 0 585 03162 2 OCLC 42329817 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Kent Ahrens The Portraits of Robert Weir American Art Journal Vol 6 No 1 p 4 a b Ahrens p 4 a b USMA site on Weir Math usma edu 2000 11 28 Archived from the original on 2012 09 29 Retrieved 2012 05 20 Jones Jennifer Spring 2012 Portraits of Influence Robert Walter Weir 1803 89 BYU Magazine 31 Gardner Deborah S McKay Christine G 2009 An Artist s Retreat J Alden Weir s Farm in Connecticut PDF National Park Service p 30 Architect of the Capitol page on Embarkation of the Pilgrims Aoc gov Retrieved 2012 05 20 Robert Weir Artist Fine Art Auction Records Prices Biography for Robert Walter Weir Askart com 2008 12 03 Retrieved 2012 05 25 East Baltimore Documentary Survey Project by Joan Clark Netherwood American Art Americanart si edu Retrieved 2012 05 25 Reed Henry Hope 2005 The United States Capital Its Architecture and Decoration New York W W Norton amp Company p 203 ISBN 0 393 03831 9 Untitled Hawk Eye Burlington Iowa 13 June 1844External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Walter Weir Art and the empire city New York 1825 1861 an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art fully available online as PDF which contains material on Robert Walter Weir see index Catalogue of oil paintings and water colors by Robert W Weir an auction catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art fully available online as PDF Catalogue of oil paintings and water colors by Robert W Weir at archive org as the MMA one disappeared New York Times article retrieved December 14 2007 Artwork by Robert Walter Weir Askart com io information retrieved December 14 2007 Finding aid authors Dennis Rowley and Loretta Trentman 2014 Weir family papers Prepared for the L Tom Perry Special Collections Provo UT Retrieved May 16 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Walter Weir amp oldid 1193726043, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
