Levi Wells Prentice's oil paintings capture the beauty of nature, and his contributions to Hudson River School art make him a significant figure in American art history.
The Hudson River School is an American Art movement comprising a group of landscape painters. Their paintings emphasize nature's importance and the glory of the American landscape. Paintings by Levi Wells Prentice align with this art movement and the philosophy of the Hudson River School.
Levi Wells Prentice is known for his famous paintings of fruit, which capture the texture and color of fruit with stunning realism, in addition to landscape oil paintings. The artist’s fruit paintings often include common fruits, such as apples and pears, arranged to highlight their natural beauty.
Apples in a Tin Pail 1892 is one of Prentice's most famous still life paintings, showcasing his fascination with painting apples. Owned by the Museum of Fine Art, Boston, it was previously in the Hayden Collection.
Cherries and Raspberries in a Basket, 1891, is another exquisite fruit still life painting by Levi Wells Prentice. It features fruits arranged in a basket, demonstrating a keen eye for composition and natural beauty. The original oil on canvas painting is at the Hood Museum of Art, part of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
Levi Wells Prentice's sunset paintings include Blue Mountain Lake, a breathtaking landscape oil painting. It highlights the artist's mastery of vibrant colors and intricate details and captures the essence of the Adirondack Mountains at sunset. This oil painting exemplifies Prentice's ability to capture the serene beauty of nature, with a focus on the flowing river and the majestic mountains in the background.
Levi Wells Prentice was born in 1851 in New York and was raised in the surroundings of the natural landscape of the Adirondack Mountains. His exposure to nature impacted his career as a landscape artist, capturing the serenity of the mountains and forests.
Wells never received any formal art training and was self-taught. Levi Wells Prentice married in 1882 and had two children. The family settled in Philadelphia, although it was not until the 1970s that his paintings received recognition. Today, his paintings are appreciated and collected by art collectors, and they are exhibited in many museums across the U.S.
Discover still life paintings of fruit and enjoy our catalog of Dutch Golden Age paintings by Pieter Claesz and impressionist fruit paintings by Paul Cezanne. Famous oil paintings of mountain paintings by Jasper Francis Cropsey, another Hudson River School artist, are also for sale online.