Jasper Francis Cropsey

Hudson River School painter Jasper Francis Cropsey (1823-1900) became known as "America's painter of autumn" for his lavish depictions of northeastern fall foliage in bold yellows, oranges, and reds. Born on a Staten Island farm, poor health as a child led him to teach himself drawing during periods of convalescence. At fourteen, his architectural model won recognition at the New York Mechanics' Institute Fair, leading to an apprenticeship with architect Joseph Trench. Though trained in architecture, Cropsey devoted himself to landscape painting after his first exhibition at the National Academy of Design in 1843.

Cropsey traveled to Europe twice, spending 1847-1849 in Rome in Thomas Cole's former studio and 1857-1863 in London, where his autumn landscapes gained enormous popularity. His 1860 painting Autumn on the Hudson, completed in London and shown at the 1862 International Exhibition, established his reputation for capturing autumnal color with unprecedented vibrancy. Queen Victoria received him at court in 1861. Cropsey's ability to render brilliant fall colors stemmed partly from new chemical-based pigments available at mid-century. He designed elevated railway stations for New York and built a 29-room Gothic Revival mansion called Aladdin in Warwick, New York. A founding member of the American Watercolor Society, Cropsey continued painting landscapes until his death in 1900. His works hang at the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The White House also displays his paintings.