Samuel Colman

Samuel Colman, a prominent second-generation Hudson River School landscape painter, traveled widely and expanded his subject matter beyond the Hudson River. His works depicted scenes from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, and North Africa, with notable paintings such as The Moorish Mosque of Sidi Halou (1875), now in the New York Public Library. Colman was a member of the National Academy of Design and played a key role in establishing watercolor as a respected medium for fine art. Born in Portland, Maine, he studied under Asher B. Durand and began exhibiting at the National Academy at age eighteen. Colman was a founder and first president of the American Society of Watercolor Painters. His Western landscapes, including views of the Grand Canyon and Oregon Trail, are highly regarded. Known for his subtle, luminous light effects, Colman’s work emphasized quiet beauty rather than grandeur.