Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait
Encyclopedia
Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (February 5, 1819 – April 28, 1905) was an American artist
who is known mostly for his paintings of wildlife. During most of his career, he was associated with the New York City
art scene.
, England
. At eight years old, because his father went bankrupt he was sent to live with relatives in Lancaster
. It is during that time that he became attached to animals. Later on, in Manchester, England
, Agnew & Zanetti Repository of Art acquired Arthur Tait who began self-learning to paint, as a twelve-year-old boy. His work consisted mostly of reproduced lithography that were exposed for Agnew's exhibitions. In 1838, he left the Agnew lithography reproduction business to marry.
During the late 1840s he became aware of the Americas while attending a George Catlin
exhibition in Paris. He immigrated to the United States
in 1850, where he established a small painting camp in the Adirondacks to paint during summer. Starting in 1852, Currier & Ives reproduced lithographies of his works to publicize him. What also promoted his talent was exhibitions held at the National Academy of Design
, New York during the late 19th century showing more than 200 paintings of his. In 1858 he was elected to full membership of the Academy.
He was identified with the art life of New York until his death at Yonkers, New York
in 1905. He painted barnyard fowl
and wild bird
s as well as sheep and deer
, with great dexterity, and reproductions of his minute panels of chickens had an enormous vogue.
In 2006, Tait's painting Good Hunting Ground: The Home of the Deer was auctioned for $167,300 by Heritage Auctions
.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
who is known mostly for his paintings of wildlife. During most of his career, he was associated with the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
art scene.
Biography
Tait was born in Lively Hall near LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. At eight years old, because his father went bankrupt he was sent to live with relatives in Lancaster
City of Lancaster
The City of Lancaster , is a local government district of Lancashire, England, with the status of a city and non-metropolitan district. It is named after its largest settlement, Lancaster, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Morecambe, Heysham, and Carnforth, as well as...
. It is during that time that he became attached to animals. Later on, in Manchester, England
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Agnew & Zanetti Repository of Art acquired Arthur Tait who began self-learning to paint, as a twelve-year-old boy. His work consisted mostly of reproduced lithography that were exposed for Agnew's exhibitions. In 1838, he left the Agnew lithography reproduction business to marry.
During the late 1840s he became aware of the Americas while attending a George Catlin
George Catlin
George Catlin was an American painter, author and traveler who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the Old West.-Early years:...
exhibition in Paris. He immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1850, where he established a small painting camp in the Adirondacks to paint during summer. Starting in 1852, Currier & Ives reproduced lithographies of his works to publicize him. What also promoted his talent was exhibitions held at the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
, New York during the late 19th century showing more than 200 paintings of his. In 1858 he was elected to full membership of the Academy.
He was identified with the art life of New York until his death at Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
in 1905. He painted barnyard fowl
Fowl
Fowl is a word for birds in general but usually refers to birds belonging to one of two biological orders, namely the gamefowl or landfowl and the waterfowl...
and wild bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s as well as sheep and deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, with great dexterity, and reproductions of his minute panels of chickens had an enormous vogue.
In 2006, Tait's painting Good Hunting Ground: The Home of the Deer was auctioned for $167,300 by Heritage Auctions
Heritage Auctions
Heritage Auction Galleries is the world's largest collectibles auctioneer and the third largest auction house, with over $700 million in annual sales and 600,000 online bidder-members...
.