Martin Johnson Heade was an American painter born on 11 August 1819 in Lumberville, Pennsylvania. Heade received his first art instructions under Edward Hicks and his cousin Thomas Hicks. At age twenty, Heade began painting professionally and exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the National Academy of Design.
After Heade took a second trip to Europe, he became a traveling artist, working in various cities until he settled in New York in 1859. Around this period, Heade shifted his focus to landscape painting and traveled to South America in the 1860s, taking several subjects and influences for his work. Subsequently, Heade traveled to several parts of the Caribbean, painting.
Paintings of still lifes, flowers, and birds categorized Heade’s later works. He continued painting and winning acclaim for his works, receiving the honor of Knight of the Order of the Rose from the Emperor of Brazil. Heade’s extensive work remains a collector item for art dealers and enthusiasts worldwide. He died in Florida on 4 September 1904.
What was Martin Johnson Heade Known For?
Martin Johnson Heade was known for painting landscapes, still lifes, birds, and floral subjects. Heade’s artworks showcased the artist’s skill for accurate and colorful depictions and keen attention to atmospheric and luminous effects. His bird paintings usually portray the birds in a majestic manner set against dark backgrounds.
Who was Martin Johnson Heade Influenced By?
Martin Johnson Heade was influenced by Edward Hicks, Benjamin Champney, and John Frederick Kensett. Hicks, a portrait painter, influenced Heade’s mastery of accurate depictions, while Champney and Kensett influenced his latter choice of subject matter – landscapes.
What Art Movement was Martin Johnson Heade Associated With?
Martin Johnson Heade was associated with the Hudson River School art movement.
Martin Johnson Heade Artwork
Below are some of the artworks of Martin Johnson Heade
Approaching Thunder Storm
Blue Morpho Butterfly
Cattleya Orchid and Three Hummingbirds
Florida River Scene: Early Evening, After Sunset
Giant Magnolias on a Blue Velvet Cloth
Haystacks on the Newburyport Marshes
Hummingbird and Apple Blossoms
Magnolia Grandiflora
Magnolias on Gold Velvet Cloth
Passion Flowers with Hummingbirds
Sailing by Moonlight
Sailing off the Coast
Sunlight and Shadow: The Newbury Marshes
Sunset Over the Marshes
The Great Florida Marsh
The Marshes at Rhode Island
Thunderstorm on Narragansett Bay
Twilight on the St. Johns River
