Julian Alden Weir Art

Ashley John is proud to offer this artwork by: J Alden Weir (1852 - 1919) Born in West Point, New York Julian Alden Weir received his first art training from his father, Robert W. Weir, who was a professor of drawing at the United States Military Academy. The younger Weir continued his studies in New York at the National Academy of Design and in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts where he worked under the important academic teacher Jean-Léon Gérôme beginning in 1873. Traveling to Holland and Spain during his student years, Weir was inspired by the work of Hals and Velasquez. However, the major influence on his early career was the French painter Jules Bastien-Lepage, who was well known for his realistic depictions of Breton peasants in the outdoor landscape. On his return to New York in the fall of 1877, Weir supported himself by teaching at the Cooper Union Women's Art School and at the Art Students League. He was also active in avant-garde artist organizations that began in the late 1870s, helping to found the Society of American Artists and participating in Tile Club...