biography of Henri Peters GRAY (1819-1877)

Birth place: NYC

Death place: NYC

Addresses: NYC

Profession: Portrait, genre, figure, and history painter

Studied: Daniel Huntington, 1838

Exhibited: NAD,1861-77; Brooklyn AA, 1861-76; Centennial Exhib., Phila., 1876; AIC, 1889.

Member: NA (elected 1842; pres., 1870-71)

Work: NYHS; MMA; CGA

Comments: After studying with Huntington, Gray went to Italy for his first tour in 1839, spending time in Rome and Venice (where he learned Venetian glazing techniques). Returning to America in 1841, he painted portraits and genre pictures in NYC and Boston. In 1845-46 he again visited Europe, where he produced mythological and historical works with titles such as Proserpine and Bacchus." Gray established a successful career in NYC on his return in 1846, becoming one of the most popular portrait painters of his day but also receiving critical praise for his story pictures. In 1871, he again went to Italy, remaining for four years.

Sources: G&W; DAB; Clement and Hutton; Cowdrey, AA & AAU; Cowdrey, NAD; Swan, BA; Rutledge, Pa; Rutledge, MHS; Washington Art Assoc. Cat., 1859; NYBD 1848-60; Magazine of Art (Nov. 1946), 289, repro. More recently, see NYHS (1974), cat. nos. 5, 6, 252, 283, 778, 1794, 1796; Todd Smith, American Art from the Dicke Collection, cat. no. 1."