John Douglas Woodward
Encyclopedia
John Douglas Woodward was an American landscape art
ist and illustrator
described by Joseph Pennell
as one of the country's "best-known painters and illustrators". He produced hundreds of scenes of Europe, the Holy Land
, and the United States, many of which were reproduced in popular magazines of the day.
, the son of John Pitt Lee Woodward and Mary Mildred Minor Woodward, and spent his childhood in Covington, Kentucky
, where his father became a successful hardware merchant. By 1861, at the age of 15, he was a pupil of the German painter, Feodor Charles Welsch (1828–1904) in Cincinnati. The family (who had Confederate
sympathies) were forced to flee to Canada
during the American Civil War
, and shortly afterwards, John travelled to New York City
where he studied from 1863-65 at the Cooper Union
art school and National Academy of Design
. He exhibited his first painting at the Academy in 1867.
Initially he tried to earn a living as a landscape artist, taking his inspiration from the countryside of Virginia
(his family had settled in Richmond
after the war ended in 1865). However, he found it impossible to earn a living from fine art alone and was drawn to book illustration. In 1871, he received his first commission from Hearth and Home magazine, which took him on a sketching tour of the South of the country; these drawings appeared as wood engraving
s in the magazine.
series, published by D. Appleton & Company
. During this period he came under the influence of Harry Fenn
, another important illustrator on the project. Woodward was then employed by the newly-established Art Journal (seen as an American version of the London-based The Art Journal
), also published by the Appletons. From 1874-5, he was commissioned to produce a series of views of the Hudson River
and travelled west on the Transcontinental railroad to San Francisco, drawing scenes that he encountered along the way.
In 1875, Woodward married Maria Louise Simmons. In that year he also produced illustrations for "A Century After: Picturesque Glimpses of Philadelphia". In 1876 he was asked by his publisher to assist Harry Fenn in preparing pictures for a major new work called Picturesque Europe
. The project took him to England
, Europe, Russia
and Scandinavia
. For periods between 1877-79 he travelled to the Middle East
, with Harry Fenn, working on drawings and watercolours for Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt.
and several books of poetry, and was now able to devote more time to painting landscapes in oils and watercolors. In 1883 he decided to move to France
, with his wife, to further his landscape painting, settling for a short time in Paris
, then at Pont-Aven
, in Brittany
, popular amongst artists, where he remained for a year.
They returned to New York in 1884, and Woodward continued over the coming years to paint pictures and provide illustrations for books (e.g.: Tennyson's Bugle Song [1888] and Charles Kingsley's "Song of the River" [1887]), and journals such as The Century Magazine
, Scribner's Magazine
and Harper's Monthly. In 1895, a large inheritance after the death of his father gave him the freedom to concentrate wholly on painting.
Between 1898-1901, Woodward and his wife travelled to Italy
, Switzerland
and Capri
. In 1905, they settled in New Rochelle, New York
, where he continued to paint until his death in 1924.
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
ist and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
described by Joseph Pennell
Joseph Pennell
Joseph Pennell was an American artist and author.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, and first studied there, but like his compatriot and friend, James McNeill Whistler, he afterwards went to Europe and made his home in London...
as one of the country's "best-known painters and illustrators". He produced hundreds of scenes of Europe, the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, and the United States, many of which were reproduced in popular magazines of the day.
Early life and training
Woodward was born in Middlesex County, VirginiaMiddlesex County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,932 people, 4,253 households, and 2,913 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 6,362 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile...
, the son of John Pitt Lee Woodward and Mary Mildred Minor Woodward, and spent his childhood in Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
, where his father became a successful hardware merchant. By 1861, at the age of 15, he was a pupil of the German painter, Feodor Charles Welsch (1828–1904) in Cincinnati. The family (who had Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
sympathies) were forced to flee to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and shortly afterwards, John travelled to 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...
where he studied from 1863-65 at the Cooper Union
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
art school and 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...
. He exhibited his first painting at the Academy in 1867.
Initially he tried to earn a living as a landscape artist, taking his inspiration from the countryside of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(his family had settled in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
after the war ended in 1865). However, he found it impossible to earn a living from fine art alone and was drawn to book illustration. In 1871, he received his first commission from Hearth and Home magazine, which took him on a sketching tour of the South of the country; these drawings appeared as wood engraving
Wood engraving
Wood engraving is a technique in printmaking where the "matrix" worked by the artist is a block of wood. It is a variety of woodcut and so a relief printing technique, where ink is applied to the face of the block and printed by using relatively low pressure. A normal engraving, like an etching,...
s in the magazine.
Career as an illustrator
From 1872-3 he travelled extensively as one of the illustrators for the hugely-successful 3-volume Picturesque AmericaPicturesque America
Picturesque America was a two-volume set of books describing and illustrating the scenery of America, published by D. Appleton and Company of New York in 1872 and 1874 and edited by the romantic poet and journalist William Cullen Bryant , who also edited the New York Evening Post. The layout and...
series, published by D. Appleton & Company
D. Appleton & Company
D. Appleton & Company was an American company founded by Daniel Appleton , who opened a general store which included books.- Timeline :* 1813 Relocated from Haverhill to Boston and imported books from England...
. During this period he came under the influence of Harry Fenn
Harry Fenn
Harry Fenn was an English-born American illustrator, primarily of landscapes.He settled in Montclair, New Jersey around 1865. Fenn and is best known for the engravings he contributed to Picturesque Europe, Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt and "Picturesque America"...
, another important illustrator on the project. Woodward was then employed by the newly-established Art Journal (seen as an American version of the London-based The Art Journal
The Art Journal
The Art Journal, published in London, was the most important Victorian magazine on art. It was founded in 1839 by Hodgson & Graves, print publishers, 6 Pall Mall, with the title the Art Union Monthly Journal, the first issue of 750 copies appearing 15 February 1839.Hodgson & Graves hired Samuel...
), also published by the Appletons. From 1874-5, he was commissioned to produce a series of views of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and travelled west on the Transcontinental railroad to San Francisco, drawing scenes that he encountered along the way.
In 1875, Woodward married Maria Louise Simmons. In that year he also produced illustrations for "A Century After: Picturesque Glimpses of Philadelphia". In 1876 he was asked by his publisher to assist Harry Fenn in preparing pictures for a major new work called Picturesque Europe
Picturesque Europe
Picturesque Europe was a three-volume, lavishly illustrated set of books published by Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co. of London, Paris and New York in 1875...
. The project took him to 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...
, Europe, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. For periods between 1877-79 he travelled to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, with Harry Fenn, working on drawings and watercolours for Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt.
Return to New York and travels to Europe
In 1879, he returned to New York and spent much of the next three years working further on the illustrations for "Picturesque Palestine". From 1882 he provided illustration for The Century MagazineThe Century Magazine
The Century Magazine was first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City as a successor to Scribner's Monthly Magazine...
and several books of poetry, and was now able to devote more time to painting landscapes in oils and watercolors. In 1883 he decided to move to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, with his wife, to further his landscape painting, settling for a short time in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, then at Pont-Aven
Pont-Aven
Pont-Aven is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Pont-Aven are called in French Pontavenistes.-History:...
, in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, popular amongst artists, where he remained for a year.
They returned to New York in 1884, and Woodward continued over the coming years to paint pictures and provide illustrations for books (e.g.: Tennyson's Bugle Song [1888] and Charles Kingsley's "Song of the River" [1887]), and journals such as The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine was first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City as a successor to Scribner's Monthly Magazine...
, Scribner's Magazine
Scribner's Magazine
Scribner's Magazine was an American periodical published by the publishing house of Charles Scribner's Sons from January 1887 to May 1939. Scribner's Magazine was the second magazine out of the "Scribner's" firm, after the publication of Scribner's Monthly...
and Harper's Monthly. In 1895, a large inheritance after the death of his father gave him the freedom to concentrate wholly on painting.
Between 1898-1901, Woodward and his wife travelled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Capri
Capri
Capri is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, in the Campania region of Southern Italy...
. In 1905, they settled in New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
, where he continued to paint until his death in 1924.
Further reading
- Rainey, Sue. J.D. Woodward's Wood Engravings of Colorado and the Pacific Railways, 1876-1878 (1993 Journal of the American Historical Print Collectors, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 2–12).
- Ackerman, Gerald M. American orientalists (Art Creation Realisation, 1994) pp. 258–65.
- Rainey, Sue & Stein, Roger B. Shaping the Landscape Image, 1865-1910: John Douglas Woodward (University of Virginia Press, 1997).
External links
- J D Woodward online (ArtCyclopedia)
- J D Woodward on ArtNet
- Facts about J D Woodward (ArtFact)