Asher B. Durand
Asher Brown Durand (1796–1886) was an American painter and engraver associated with the Hudson River School, a mid-19th-century art movement that celebrated the American wilderness. Born in Maplewood, New Jersey, Durand initially worked as an engraver before turning to painting in the 1830s. He became renowned for his detailed and atmospheric landscapes, often depicting the rugged beauty of the Catskills and Adirondacks. His work, along with that of his contemporary Thomas Cole, helped define the romantic and nationalistic spirit of American landscape painting. Durand’s famous painting, Kindred Spirits (1849), commemorates the friendship between Cole and poet William Cullen Bryant. His legacy as a founding figure of American landscape painting endures, and his works are held in major institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
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Full Name: Asher Brown Durand
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Birth and Death: 1796–1886
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Profession: Painter and Engraver
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Influences: Hudson River School, American Wilderness
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Legacy: A key figure in American landscape painting, Durand’s works are held in major American museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
