Asher Brown Durand
(1796-1886)

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Durand was born in New Jersey in 1796. Durand’s house is now recognized as a national landmark in an area referred to as “Durand-Heden”.

Asher Durand was a leading, American painter of the Hudson River School, known masterful landscape painting rendered directly from nature. Durand followed the spiritual philosophy of the Hudson River School, which believed that nature was a manifestation of God.

Durand worked under an engraver in his early life. As Durand’s skills grew he became a part-owner and manager of a New York engraving firm. Durand was known as the country’s top engraver. Durand was responsible for engraving historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence for John Trumbull.

Around 1830 Durand was encouraged to initiate a career as an oil painter. Durand worked side-by-side with Thomas Cole, drawing the lakes and foliage in the Adirondacks. Durand also made frequent drawing trips to the Catskills and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Durand would return to his studio and transform his drawings into epic, oil paintings.

Durand was active in the New York community of artists, organizing the New-York Drawing Association, now known as the National Academy of Design, and the Sketch Club, known as the Century Association.

Durand is known as a leading figure of the Hudson River School. Durand’s paintings helped to define a genre of landscape painting and set high standards for his peers to follow. Durand’s paintings are highly sought after to this day. Do you think you may own a painting by Asher Durand? Contact us. We are the Asher Durand experts.