William Ranney
Encyclopedia
William Tylee Ranney was a 19th-century American
painter
, known for his depictions of Western
life, sporting scenery, historical subjects and portraiture. In his 20-year career, he made 150 paintings and 80 drawings, and is considered the first major genre painter to work in New Jersey, and one of the most important pre-Civil War
American painters. His work is on display in several museums across the United States. One of his contemporaries opined, "A specimen of Ranney is indispensable wherever a collection of American art exists."
in on May 9, 1813, the son of William Ranney, a sea captain, and Clarissa Ranney. In 1826, at the age of 13, he moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina
, where his uncle, a merchant named William Nott, resided, and where Ranney worked as a tinsmith
's apprentice. It is believed that Ranney developed his first sketches during this period. He moved to Brooklyn
in 1833 to study painting, and on March 12, 1836, six days after the fall of the Alamo
, he volunteered in the Texas Army to fight in the Texas War of Independence under General Sam Houston
. His experiences during this period is understood as the most significant influence the subject matter of his future works. Ranney was reportedly in the guard placed over Mexican President Santa Anna
following his capture at the Battle of San Jacinto
. Ranney's nine-month tenure in the Texas Army ended on November 23, 1836, and he remained in West Columbia, Texas
until returning to Brooklyn in 1837.
in New York City
, and received an award for his first genre painting A Courting Scene, which was exhibited at the New York Mechanics' Institute Fair. He traveled back and forth between North Carolina and New York from 1839 and 1842. In 1843, he opened a studio in New York City, where he advertised himself as a portrait painter, though few of the works from this period have been identified. In 1847 he moved to Weehawken
, and married Margaret Agnes O'Sullivan the following year. He and his wife briefly moved back to New York City around 1850, and in 1853 settled permanently with their two sons at a 14-room homestead in the growing artist community of West Hoboken, New Jersey
, which today is the southern portion of Union City
. The homestead, which was located at Twelfth Street and Palisade Avenue atop the then-rural Hudson Palisades, and overlooked the Manhattan
skyline, was characterized by Ranney's interests in both painting and Western life. It included a two-story, glassed-in studio, and a stable for horses that Ranney, an avid horseback rider, painted in many of his works. Henry T. Tuckerman, in his Book of the Artists, described Ranney's studio thus:
Ranney was a regular contributor and an associate member of the National Academy of Design and the American Art Union, both based in New York. He also painted historical scenes, such as those of the American Revolution
, though these works depicted the every day lives of the affected populace rather than heroic battle scenes. Among his depictions of local landscapes was the often-depicted Hackensack Meadows, though by 1846, his work began to show the influences of his experiences in Texas, including frontier backdrops depicting the Rocky Mountains
, pioneers, hunters, trappers, and explorers before the West was largely settled by European Americans. Among these are The Old Oaken Bucket, The Match Boy, Prairie Burial, Scouting Party, Hunting Wild Horses and Trapper's Last Shot, which are straightforward presentations of everyday subjects, and lacked overt sentiment. Ranney enjoyed duck hunting, which is reflected in some of his paintings on that theme, which are noted for their solidly constructed, almost sculpture-like figures. His most popular and requested work is his 1850 painting "On the Wing", which portrays a sportsman with dead game at his feet, about to shoot down his next target. Ranney produced at least four different versions of this print, the most recognized of which was reserved for the Butler Institute of American Art
, and appeared in the gift book Ornaments of Memory in 1856 and 1857. This version is set in a more windblown environment, which is noted for the contrast generated with the stillness of the human figures within it. "On the Wing"'s portrayal of the American outdoorsman contributed to the era's nationalistic imagery. Mark Thistelthwaite of the Butler Institute, describes this piece as:
Ranney, who adored the rural, marshy lands that typified the area in the 19th Century, also enjoyed fishing. Among the fellow artists and residents he befriended were Hoboken
founding father Colonel John Stevens III
, the man responsible for providing the first ferry system between New York and Hoboken. As Ranney was an avid cricket player, he was one of the founders of New York Cricket Club, and one of its top scorers. The club met at the Elysian Fields
in Hoboken
, and also played in Hoboken's Fox Hill, which today is Columbus Park, and the high school field between 9th and 11th Streets on Grand Street. Ranney played with them until 1854.
during the last days of his life. He died of tuberculosis
at his West Hoboken home on November 18, 1857, at the age of 44. Ranney's funeral took place at Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Hoboken, and was attended by fellow painter Charles Loring Elliott
. Ranney was laid to rest in Bergen Cemetery. The following year, the Ranney Fund put on an exhibition and sale in New York in order to raise money for Margaret Ranney and her and two sons. Some of Ranney's works were exhibited at the National Academy of Design
, and many of Ranney's fellow artists, including Innes, Cropsey and Durand, donated paintings for this effort, helping to raise over seven thousand dollars, some of which was used to pay a lien on Ranney's house.
Ranney is regarded as one of the most important pre-Civil War
American painters, and his paintings are highly prized by Western and early American art collectors. Sixty percent of his paintings are in museums such as the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, though his work can also be viewed at the Corcoran Art Gallery in Washington, DC, the Museum of Fine Arts
in Boston, the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery in Austin, Texas.
Ranney's great-grandson, Ranney Moran, authored the prologue for the 2006 book, Forging an American Identity: The Art of William Ranney.
On September 18, 2010, Union City, New Jersey
dedicated a historical marker at 1215 Palisade Avenue in Union City, where Ranney's estate once stood.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, known for his depictions of Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
life, sporting scenery, historical subjects and portraiture. In his 20-year career, he made 150 paintings and 80 drawings, and is considered the first major genre painter to work in New Jersey, and one of the most important pre-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...
American painters. His work is on display in several museums across the United States. One of his contemporaries opined, "A specimen of Ranney is indispensable wherever a collection of American art exists."
Early life
William Tylee Ranney was born in Middletown, ConnecticutMiddletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
in on May 9, 1813, the son of William Ranney, a sea captain, and Clarissa Ranney. In 1826, at the age of 13, he moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
, where his uncle, a merchant named William Nott, resided, and where Ranney worked as a tinsmith
Tinsmith
A tinsmith, or tinner or tinker or tinplate worker, is a person who makes and repairs things made of light-coloured metal, particularly tinware...
's apprentice. It is believed that Ranney developed his first sketches during this period. He moved to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
in 1833 to study painting, and on March 12, 1836, six days after the fall of the Alamo
Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a battle fought during the Texas Revolution.Alamo may also refer to:-Places:*Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas*Alamo, California*Alamo, Georgia*Alamo Township, Michigan*Alamo, Nevada*Alamo, New Mexico...
, he volunteered in the Texas Army to fight in the Texas War of Independence under General Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
. His experiences during this period is understood as the most significant influence the subject matter of his future works. Ranney was reportedly in the guard placed over Mexican President Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
following his capture at the Battle of San Jacinto
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
. Ranney's nine-month tenure in the Texas Army ended on November 23, 1836, and he remained in West Columbia, Texas
West Columbia, Texas
West Columbia is a city in Brazoria County in the U.S. state of Texas within 50 miles of Eastern Columbia. The population was 4,255 at the 2000 census....
until returning to Brooklyn in 1837.
Career
Ranney resumed his artistic endeavors in Brooklyn, becoming a self-taught oil painter, having never received formal training. In 1838 he publicly exhibited his paintings for the first time at the National Academy of DesignNational 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...
in 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...
, and received an award for his first genre painting A Courting Scene, which was exhibited at the New York Mechanics' Institute Fair. He traveled back and forth between North Carolina and New York from 1839 and 1842. In 1843, he opened a studio in New York City, where he advertised himself as a portrait painter, though few of the works from this period have been identified. In 1847 he moved to Weehawken
Weehawken, New Jersey
Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 12,554.-Geography:Weehawken is part of the New York metropolitan area...
, and married Margaret Agnes O'Sullivan the following year. He and his wife briefly moved back to New York City around 1850, and in 1853 settled permanently with their two sons at a 14-room homestead in the growing artist community of West Hoboken, New Jersey
West Hoboken, New Jersey
West Hoboken was a municipality that existed in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, from 1861 to 1925.West Hoboken was originally incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 28, 1861, from portions of North Bergen Township. The township was reincorporated on...
, which today is the southern portion of Union City
Union City, New Jersey
Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
. The homestead, which was located at Twelfth Street and Palisade Avenue atop the then-rural Hudson Palisades, and overlooked the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
skyline, was characterized by Ranney's interests in both painting and Western life. It included a two-story, glassed-in studio, and a stable for horses that Ranney, an avid horseback rider, painted in many of his works. Henry T. Tuckerman, in his Book of the Artists, described Ranney's studio thus:
It was so constructed as to receive animals; guns, pistols, and cutlassCutlassA cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket shaped guard...
es hung on the walls; and these, with curious saddles and primitive riding gear, might lead a visitor to imagine he had entered a pioneer's cabin or border chieftain's hut; such an idea would, however, have been once dispelled by glance at the many sketches and studies which proclaimed that an artist, and not a bushranger, had here found a home.
Ranney was a regular contributor and an associate member of the National Academy of Design and the American Art Union, both based in New York. He also painted historical scenes, such as those of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, though these works depicted the every day lives of the affected populace rather than heroic battle scenes. Among his depictions of local landscapes was the often-depicted Hackensack Meadows, though by 1846, his work began to show the influences of his experiences in Texas, including frontier backdrops depicting the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, pioneers, hunters, trappers, and explorers before the West was largely settled by European Americans. Among these are The Old Oaken Bucket, The Match Boy, Prairie Burial, Scouting Party, Hunting Wild Horses and Trapper's Last Shot, which are straightforward presentations of everyday subjects, and lacked overt sentiment. Ranney enjoyed duck hunting, which is reflected in some of his paintings on that theme, which are noted for their solidly constructed, almost sculpture-like figures. His most popular and requested work is his 1850 painting "On the Wing", which portrays a sportsman with dead game at his feet, about to shoot down his next target. Ranney produced at least four different versions of this print, the most recognized of which was reserved for the Butler Institute of American Art
Butler Institute of American Art
The Butler Institute of American Art, located on Wick Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio, United States, was the first museum dedicated exclusively to American art. Established by local industrialist and philanthropist Joseph G. Butler, Jr., the museum has been operating pro bono since 1919...
, and appeared in the gift book Ornaments of Memory in 1856 and 1857. This version is set in a more windblown environment, which is noted for the contrast generated with the stillness of the human figures within it. "On the Wing"'s portrayal of the American outdoorsman contributed to the era's nationalistic imagery. Mark Thistelthwaite of the Butler Institute, describes this piece as:
"Capital, in its style. Sportsman and dog are both in the best spirits, and are transferred to the canvas without losing anything of their keen relish of the sport." The appeal of Ranney's painting lies in its convincing portrayal of the alert, poised hunter and the tense, crouching boy and dog, all motionless, yet charged with potential energy. Dead game on the ground underscore the figures' vitality. Ranney plants the compactly rendered, centralized group in the midst of wind-blown marsh vegetation.
Ranney, who adored the rural, marshy lands that typified the area in the 19th Century, also enjoyed fishing. Among the fellow artists and residents he befriended were Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
founding father Colonel John Stevens III
John Stevens (inventor)
Col. John Stevens, III was an American lawyer, engineer and an inventor.-Life and career:Born the son of John Stevens , a prominent New Jersey politician who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress, and Elizabeth Alexander, daughter of New York lawyer and statesman James Alexander. His...
, the man responsible for providing the first ferry system between New York and Hoboken. As Ranney was an avid cricket player, he was one of the founders of New York Cricket Club, and one of its top scorers. The club met at the Elysian Fields
Elysian Fields, Hoboken, New Jersey
Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey is believed to be the site of the first organized baseball game, giving Hoboken a strong claim to be the birthplace of baseball....
in Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, and also played in Hoboken's Fox Hill, which today is Columbus Park, and the high school field between 9th and 11th Streets on Grand Street. Ranney played with them until 1854.
Death and legacy
Ranney converted to CatholicismCatholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
during the last days of his life. He died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
at his West Hoboken home on November 18, 1857, at the age of 44. Ranney's funeral took place at Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Hoboken, and was attended by fellow painter Charles Loring Elliott
Charles Loring Elliott
Charles Loring Elliott was an American painter known for his portraits. He was active in central New York for 10 years as a young man, then in 1845 moved to New York City to pursue his career. He was elected to the National Academy of Design in 1846.-Early life and education:Elliott was born at...
. Ranney was laid to rest in Bergen Cemetery. The following year, the Ranney Fund put on an exhibition and sale in New York in order to raise money for Margaret Ranney and her and two sons. Some of Ranney's works were exhibited 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...
, and many of Ranney's fellow artists, including Innes, Cropsey and Durand, donated paintings for this effort, helping to raise over seven thousand dollars, some of which was used to pay a lien on Ranney's house.
Ranney is regarded as one of the most important pre-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...
American painters, and his paintings are highly prized by Western and early American art collectors. Sixty percent of his paintings are in museums such as the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, though his work can also be viewed at the Corcoran Art Gallery in Washington, DC, the Museum of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
in Boston, the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery in Austin, Texas.
Ranney's great-grandson, Ranney Moran, authored the prologue for the 2006 book, Forging an American Identity: The Art of William Ranney.
On September 18, 2010, Union City, New Jersey
Union City, New Jersey
Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
dedicated a historical marker at 1215 Palisade Avenue in Union City, where Ranney's estate once stood.