17 Facts About Alvan Fisher

Alvan Fisher was an American landscape and genre painter.

Alvan Fisher was born in Needham, Massachusetts, the fourth of Aaron and Lucy Fisher's six sons.

Alvan Fisher moved with members of his family to Dedham, Massachusetts, around 1805 where he worked as a clerk in his brother's store.

Alvan Fisher traveled extensively painting landscapes, rural scenes, portraits of animals, and portraits of people.

Only the canny Alvan Fisher was successful in turning a profit from the new themes in his paintings.

Alvan Fisher sketched outdoors and began to compose pastoral scenes in his studio before Thomas Cole, Thomas Doughty, Asher B Durand, or others of the Hudson River School gave serious attention to nature.

Alvan Fisher was commissioned by Charles Henry Hall, owner of the Harlem Stud Farm in New York, to paint portraits of the famous American race horses of the period.

Alvan Fisher completed at least six portraits of the renowned American Eclipse between 1822 and 1823.

Alvan Fisher was the first important American landscapist to make such a tour.

Alvan Fisher had evidently met General Lafayette in 1824 when Lafayette stopped at Dedham during his triumphal tour of the United States.

Alvan Fisher was granted permission to complete paintings of Chateau La Grange, Lafayette's estate outside Paris.

Alvan Fisher opened a studio on Washington Street in Boston where he is said to have been the first landscapist to hang out a professional sign in Boston.

Alvan Fisher typified the artist who appealed to the gift book audience.

Alvan Fisher had accumulated significant wealth from his artistry and from his business acumen.

Alvan Fisher used this wealth to expand his estate on School Street in Dedham and to establish his studio there.

Alvan Fisher continued to complete portraits as a source of income but his main love was for landscapes and marine scenes.

Alvan Fisher died at Dedham, Massachusetts on February 13,1863, and is buried in Dedham's Old Village Cemetery.