(August 18, 1863 - March 18, 1930) was an American painter best known for his series of 78 scenes from American history, entitled The Pageant of a Nation, the largest series of American historical paintings by a single artist. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Stephen James Ferris, a portrait painter and a devotee of Jean-L??on G??rôme (after whom he was named) and Mariano Fortuny.He grew up around art, having been trained by his father and having two acclaimed painters, Edward Moran and Thomas Moran, as uncles. Ferris enrolled in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1879 and trained further at the Acad??mie Julian beginning in 1883 under William-Adolphe Bouguereau.He also met his namesake G??rôme, who greatly influenced Ferris's decision to paint scenes from American history. As Ferris wrote in his unpublished autobiography, "[G??rôme's] axiom was that one would paint best that with which he is most familiar". However, initially his subjects were Orientalist in nature, that movement having been in vogue when he was young. Some of his material was original, some of it took after Fortuny, but he was skilled enough, despite never having had any experience with Asia. In 1882, he exhibited a painting entitled Feeding the Ibis, which was valued at $600. By 1895, Ferris had gained a reputation as a historical painter, and he embarked on his dream of creating a series of paintings that told a historical narrative. In 1898 he sold one of these, General Howe's Levee, 1777, but he later regretted it, realizing that such a series could not be complete if the separate paintings could not be kept together. As such, he never sold another one of those, but he did sell the reproduction rights to various publishing companies. This later would have the effect of greatly popularizing his work, as these companies made prints, postcards, calendars and blank-backed trade cards use in advertisements. Laminated cards of these works were still being sold as late as 1984. The Landing of William PennThe paintings showed idealized portrayals of famous moments from American history, but were often historically inaccurate. The Landing of William Penn, for example, shows Penn being greeted at New Castle by American Indians who are clothed in the tradition of tribes from the Great Plains. In The First Thanksgiving 1621, the black outfits the Pilgrims are shown wearing are wrong, and the Wampanoag did not wear feathered war bonnets, nor would they have been sitting on the ground. The complete series was shown at Independence Hall in Philadelphia from 1913 to 1930, then moved next door to Congress Hall. In later years it was shown in a number of locations, including the Smithsonian Institution, before being returned to the Ferris family.  Related Paintings of Jean Leon Gerome Ferris :. | Writing the Declaration of Independence | Writing the Declaration of Independence, 1776 | Baigneuses | Franklin's Return to Philadelphia, 1785 | Franklins Return to Philadelphia |
Related Artists:
Constantijn Netscher
painted Portrait de la princesse Palatine in 1700
Leo Putz
Germany (1869 -1940 ) - Painter
Nico Klopp
Den Nico Klopp war e letzebuergesche Moler. Hien ass den 18. September 1894 zu Bech-Maacher gebuer, an den 29. Dezember 1930 an der Stad Lëtzebuerg gestuerwen, wahrscheinlech un engem Gehirtumor, am Alter vun nëmme 36 Joer. Hie gëtt zu de postimpressionistesche Moler gerechent. Säi LiewenDen Nico Klopp koum aus dem Wënzermilieu. Hien huet d'Handwierkerschoul an der Stad besicht. Seng Eltere si frei gestuerwen. No hirem Doud, huet hie sech fräi gefillt, fir vun 1915-1920 zu Dusseldorf a Weimar Konscht ze studeieren. Well hie vun der Konscht aleng net liewe konnt, war hien, vun 1923 un, Gemengereceveur zu Reimech. Zäitweileg huet hien op Schoulen Zeechenunterrecht ginn, an huet nach en Täschegeld als Kannengerchersziichter verdengt. 1927 huet hie sech mat e puer anere Kënschtler, wei dem Joseph Kutter, dem Claus Cito, dem Auguste Tremont an anere vum Cercle Artistique getrennt, well him de Cercle ze reckstänneg war. Si goufe Sezessioniste genannt, well se 1927 e Salon de la Secession" organiseiert haten. E puer vu senge Wierker sinn am Nationalmusee fir Geschicht a Konscht an der Stad ze gesinn. Den Nico Klopp huet vill Biller vun der Musel gemoolt, bekannt si virun allem seng Biller vun der Muselbreck zu Reimech. Hien huet och Blummebiller gemoolt an dobäi hat hien eng Präferenz fir Tulpen. Ausserdeem war hien e Meeschter an Holz- a Linoschnëtter.