German-born American Hudson River School Painter, 1830-1902 Bierstadt was born in Solingen, Germany. His family moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1833. He studied painting with the members of the D??sseldorf School in D??sseldorf, Germany from 1853 to 1857. He taught drawing and painting briefly before devoting himself to painting. Bierstadt began making paintings in New England and upstate New York. In 1859, he traveled westward in the company of a Land Surveyor for the U.S. government, returning with sketches that would result in numerous finished paintings. In 1863 he returned west again, in the company of the author Fitz Hugh Ludlow, whose wife he would later marry. He continued to visit the American West throughout his career. Though his paintings sold for princely sums, Bierstadt was not held in particularly high esteem by critics of his day. His use of uncommonly large canvases was thought to be an egotistical indulgence, as his paintings would invariably dwarf those of his contemporaries when they were displayed together. The romanticism evident in his choices of subject and in his use of light was felt to be excessive by contemporary critics. His paintings emphasized atmospheric elements like fog, clouds and mist to accentuate and complement the feel of his work. Bierstadt sometimes changed details of the landscape to inspire awe. The colors he used are also not always true. He painted what he believed is the way things should be: water is ultramarine, vegetation is lush and green, etc. The shift from foreground to background was very dramatic and there was almost no middle distance Nonetheless, his paintings remain popular. He was a prolific artist, having completed over 500 (possibly as many as 4000) paintings during his lifetime, most of which have survived. Many are scattered through museums around the United States. Prints are available commercially for many. Original paintings themselves do occasionally come up for sale, at ever increasing prices.  Related Paintings of Albert Bierstadt :. | Autumn in the Conway Meadows looking towards Mount Washington | Sailboats on the Hudson at Irvington | Pikes Peak, Rocky Mountains | California Spring | Moonlit_Landscape |
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Albert Chmielowski
(born Adam Hilary Bernard Chmielowski; 1845 - 1916) was a Polish religious brother and founder of the Albertines. He is a saint of the Catholic Church. Albert is also known as Brat Albert (Brother Albert); in recognition of his holiness, he has also been called the "Brother of Our Lord", "Brother of Our God", and "Our God's Brother". Adam Chmielowski was born to a wealthy aristocratic family, and initially studied agriculture with the intention of managing the family estate. Involved in politics since his youth, he lost a leg at the age of 17 while fighting in an insurrection. He became a well-known and well-liked artist in Krakew, his political convictions inspiring his interest in the human condition. A gentle and compassionate spirit, Chmielowski felt compelled to help those in need and after years of reflection, decided to follow his calling into the service of God. In 1880, Chmielowski joined the Jesuits, took up the name Albert and abandoned painting. He began a life of service to the poor. In 1887, he founded the Brothers of the Third Order of Saint Francis, Servants of the Poor, known in honor of their founder as the Albertines or the Gray Brothers, after their rough gray habits. In 1891, he founded the women's congregation, the Gray Sisters. The Albertines organized food and shelter for the poor and homeless. Albert believed that the great calamity of our time is that so many refuse to see and relieve the suffering of others. The so-called "haves" live away from the "have-nots", ignoring them and leaving their care to society.
jan maurits quinckhard
1688-1772
Nesterov Nikolai Stepanovich
1862-1942