Robert Swain Gifford Art
American, 1840-1905
Robert Swain Gifford (1840–1905) Robert Swain Gifford was an American landscape painter best known for his evocative coastal scenes and atmospheric landscapes. He was born on July 23, 1840, on Naushon Island, part of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts.
Early Life and Training Gifford moved with his family to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he developed an early interest in art. He began formal training with Dutch artist Albert van Beest, who had a significant influence on his style, particularly in marine subjects.
Travel and Influence Gifford’s artistic development was deeply shaped by extensive travel:
In the 1860s, he visited California, painting its rugged coastlines.
He also traveled to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, producing works inspired by exotic and arid landscapes, which set him apart from many of his contemporaries.
Style and Legacy Gifford’s work blends luminism and tonalism, focusing on mood, light, and atmosphere rather than intricate detail. He painted in both oil and watercolor, often capturing tranquil, meditative scenes of marshes, harbors, and deserts.
His art reflects a fascination with natural light and subtle tonal variation, and he was especially adept at portraying foggy seascapes and remote coastal views.
Career Highlights Elected full academician at the National Academy of Design in 1867.
Exhibited regularly at major institutions, including the Boston Art Club, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Received a medal at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle.
Death and Recognition Gifford died in 1905 in New York. Today, his works are held in prestigious collections including:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Smithsonian American Art Museum
The Museum of Fine Arts, Bostonto
5
3
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
8
1
1
1
8
1
4
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
8
6
3
3
3
9
8,200
2,807
2,504
1,663
7
1
9
Artist: Robert Swain Gifford
Wooded Sand Dune
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Wooded Sand Dune
Oil on panel, 12 x 18 1/8 inches
Framed dimensions: 17 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches
Estate stamp lower right: RSwain Gifford
Provenance
The artist;
By descent in the family ...
Category
Late 19th Century Barbizon School Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
New England Farmhouse
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Provenance
The artist;
By descent in the family to the artist's great-grandaughter, until 2023
Born on a small island near Martha's Vineyard, R. Swain Gifford and his family moved t...
Category
Late 19th Century Barbizon School Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
The Edge of the Forest
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Robert Swain Gifford (1840–1905)
The Edge of the Forest
Oil on canvas, 15 x 23 1/4 inches (38.1 x 59.1 cm)
Estate stamp lower right: RSwain Gifford
Provenance
The artist;
By descent in the family to the artist's great-grandaughter, until 2023
Born on a small island near Martha's Vineyard, R. Swain Gifford and his family moved to the New Bedford, Massachusetts, area when he was two years old. The Dutch marine painter Albert Van Beest arrived in New Bedford in 1854, providing the teenage Gifford with the opportunity of study; he collaborated with Van Beest on a number of ship pictures...
Category
19th Century Tonalist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil
Evening Landscape
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Born on a small island near Martha's Vineyard, R. Swain Gifford and his family moved to the New Bedford, Massachusetts, area when he was two years old. The Dutch marine painter Alber...
Category
1880s Barbizon School Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Landscape with Haystacks
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Robert Swain Gifford (1840–1905)
Landscape with Haystacks
Oil on canvas, 14 1/8 x 24 inches (35.9 x 61 cm)
Estate stamp lower left: RSwain Gifford
Provenance
The artist;
By descent in the family to the artist's great-grandaughter, until 2023
Born on a small island near Martha's Vineyard, R. Swain Gifford and his family moved to the New Bedford, Massachusetts, area when he was two years old. The Dutch marine painter Albert Van Beest arrived in New Bedford in 1854, providing the teenage Gifford with the opportunity of study; he collaborated with Van Beest on a number of ship pictures...
Category
19th Century Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil
The Citadel of Cairo, Evening
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Jacksonville, FL
Oil on canvas mounted on board.
As twilight descends over the ancient city of Cairo, the iconic silhouette of the Citadel emerges against the fading light. This is the scene that Robert Swain...
Category
1870s Realist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Board
Rocks and Sea
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Born on a small island near Martha's Vineyard, R. Swain Gifford and his family moved to the New Bedford, Massachusetts, area when he was two years old. The Dutch marine painter Alber...
Category
Late 19th Century American Impressionist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Cairo
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Born on a small island near Martha's Vineyard, R. Swain Gifford and his family moved to the New Bedford, Massachusetts, area when he was two years old. The Dutch marine painter Alber...
Category
Late 19th Century Other Art Style Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Daniel Ricketson House, New Bedford
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Born on a small island near Martha's Vineyard, R. Swain Gifford and his family moved to the New Bedford, Massachusetts, area when he was two years old. The Dutch marine painter Alber...
Category
Early 1900s Academic Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Paper, Ink
Related Items
French School Impressionist Rural Landscape Signed oil painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
➡️Vivid Landscape⬅️
⏩It is signed R Dufils, probably Roland Dufils (1920-1973) Paris 7th ⏪
Roland Dufils was a French painter born in Maromme, a commune in the Normandy region of F...
Category
Early 1900s Tonalist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
H 14.97 in W 18.12 in D 0.79 in
Barbizon School, French River Landscape, Oil on Canvas, The Seine
Located in Cotignac, FR
19th century French Barbizon school oil on canvas river view, possibly the Seine near Paris, by François Maury. The painting is signed top right, dated and there is a location which ...
Category
Late 19th Century Barbizon School Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil
H 12.21 in W 14.57 in D 1.38 in
French school Medieval scene Landscape Oil painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
⭐Medieval scene from anonymous painter
⭐Structural Analysis :⭐
Medieval composition due to the tunic worn by the character (at the bottom of the painting) walking their dog. The cen...
Category
Early 1900s Tonalist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil, Stretcher Bars
H 28.86 in W 21.46 in D 0.99 in
Mid Century Colorado River Landscape
By Wilfred A. Readio
Located in Soquel, CA
Beautiful mid century impressionist landscape of Colorado River and hills by Wilfred A. Readio (American, 1895-1961), c.1940. Unsigned; purchased as part of collection of artist's wo...
Category
1940s Tonalist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Masonite, Oil
French school The River Oil painting Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
➡️The River from Rousseau⬅️
"Il est tombé par terre, C'est la faute à Voltaire, Le nez dans le ruisseau, C'est la faute à Rousseau" - He fell to the ground, It's Voltaire's fault, H...
Category
1890s Tonalist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
H 12.41 in W 18.71 in D 1.19 in
French School Road Line III New York City Impressionist Chut Les Barbizons!
Located in Zofingen, AG
☀️⭐Road Line III ⭐☀️
Landscape - Sky scrappers, office- NYC Building avenue Painting with mirror effect
Technique: oil, acrylic, and ink on old book pages on wooden strecher frame ...
Category
1920s Tonalist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Glue, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
H 15.75 in W 15.75 in D 1.38 in
19th Century French Barbizon Signed Oil Painting Cattle & Dog in Rural Lane
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Jacques Alfred Brielman (1836-1892) French.
A Landscape with Cattle and a Dog in a Rural Lane,
Oil on Canvas, Signed,
Unframed 15" x 23" (38 x 58.5cm)
condition: overall very good,...
Category
Mid-19th Century Barbizon School Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
French school landscape Oil painting Post Impressionist
Located in Zofingen, AG
➡️Provence Landscape from Anonymous french painter⬅️
This painting appears to be in the Impressionist or Post-Impressionist style.
The artist uses a warm and earthy palette, dominat...
Category
1920s Tonalist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil, Stretcher Bars, Gesso
H 7.49 in W 12.21 in D 0.4 in
Shepherdess at the edge of the forest
Located in Gent, VOV
"Robbe Louis, “Plein air” Animal Painter"
ROBBE Louis Born in Courtrai on November 17, 1806, died in Brussels on May 2, 1887. Pupil of Eugène Verboeckchoven and Jean-Baptiste De Jonghe...
Category
Mid-19th Century Barbizon School Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
French School - Entre chien et Loup City - NYC Building Painting New York
Located in Zofingen, AG
Urban view with sunset
Technique: oil, acrylic, ink on wood frame 40x40cm / 15,7x15,7inch
⏩》R E A D Y -- T O -- H A N G《⏪
🟢 → Original signed work. Certificate of authenticity i...
Category
Early 1900s Tonalist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil, Ink, Acrylic
H 15.75 in W 15.75 in D 1.38 in
Three Sisters in the Cascade Range, Oregon Lake with Birds Migrating
Located in Soquel, CA
Three Sisters in the Cascade Range, Oregon
Landscape scene depicting three snowcapped mountains, also known as "The Three Sisters," surrounded by evergreen trees by John Englehart...
Category
Late 19th Century Tonalist Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil, Linen
H 36 in W 55 in D 3 in
A Mountain Dwelling: 19th Century landscape bearing Corot signature on verso
By Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
Located in Norwich, GB
Our 19th Century painting of a mountain dwelling, bathed in soft light light is a fresh and relevant as if it had been created yesterday. Painted certainly in plein air on the motif,...
Category
Mid-19th Century Barbizon School Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil, Cardboard
H 10.63 in W 16.15 in D 1.19 in
Previously Available Items
Marine Oak Trees
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Robert Swain Gifford (1840–1905)
Marine Oak Trees
Oil on canvas, 15 x 22 1/4 inches (38.1 x 56.5 cm)
Estate stamp lower right: RSwain Gifford
Provenance
The artist;
By descent in the family to the artist's great-grandaughter, until 2023
Born on a small island near Martha's Vineyard, R. Swain Gifford and his family moved to the New Bedford, Massachusetts, area when he was two years old. The Dutch marine painter Albert Van Beest arrived in New Bedford in 1854, providing the teenage Gifford with the opportunity of study; he collaborated with Van Beest on a number of ship pictures...
Category
19th Century Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil
Robert Swain Gifford (American, 1840-1905) "The Rock of Gibraltar" Oil on Canvas
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in New York, NY
Robert Swain Gifford (American, 1840–1905)
"The Rock of Gibraltar" (View from the Spanish Shore), 1872
A rare and important oil on canvas painting, mos...
Category
19th Century Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Oil
Hudson River School Fall Landscape with Figure by Robert Swain Gifford
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Buffalo, NY
Impressionist landscape painting with a figure by Robert Swain Gifford (1840-1905). Oil on board, circa 1880. Signed lower left, "R. Swain Gifford&...
Category
1880s Hudson River School Robert Swain Gifford Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Robert Swain Gifford art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Robert Swain Gifford art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Robert Swain Gifford in etching, oil paint, paint and more. Not every interior allows for large Robert Swain Gifford art, so small editions measuring 9 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Luigi Lucioni, Peter Moran, and Johan Barthold Jongkind. Robert Swain Gifford art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $100 and tops out at $125,000, while the average work can sell for $175.