The Biographical Dictionary of America/Boughton, George Henry

BOUGHTON, George Henry, artist, was born in Norfolk, England, in 1833; son of William Boughton. He settled in Albany, N.Y., where he was educated, and in 1850 opened a studio. He travelled through Great Britain in 1853, and on his return established himself in New York city, exhibiting "Winter Twilight" at the National academy in 1858. He studied in Paris, 1859–'60, and visited London in 1861, where he was induced to remain. He became an interested student of New England Puritanism, and his pictures of Puritan types won high praise from critics. In English art he chose chiefly subjects concerning children of the soil. He also made several visits to Holland, resulting in numerous paintings of Dutch scenes, and in the book "Sketching Rambles in Holland" (1885), written by Mr. Boughton and illustrated in conjunction with Edwin Abbey. In 1871 the National academy of design elected him an academician. In 1879 he was made an associate of the Royal academy, and he was elected academician in 1896, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Lord Leighton. Among his paintings are: "Passing into the Shade" (British institute, 1863); "Through the Fields" and "Hop-Pickers Returning—Twilight" (Royal academy, 1863); "The Interminable Story" and "Industry" (Royal academy, 1864); "A Breton Haymaker" and "Wandering Thoughts" (1866); "The Swing, Brittany" and "Wayside Devotion, Brittany " (1866); "The Early Puritans of New England" (1867); "Breton Pastoral" (1868); "The Age of Gallantry" (1870); "The March of Miles Standish" (1870); "Colder than Snow" (1871); "A Chapter from Pamela" (1871); "The Canterbury Pilgrims" (1875); "Milton Visited by Marvell" (1875); "The Primrose Gatherers" (Philadelphia centennial, 1876); "The Edict of William the Testy" (1877); "Priscilla" (1879); "Evangeline" (1880); "Hester Prynne," "Rose Standish," "A Dead City of Zuyder Zee" (1881); "A Dutch Seaside Resort" (1883); "Suspected of Witchcraft" (1883); "A Field Handmaiden—Brabant" (1884); "The Return of the Mayflower," "A Dutch Ferry," "The Vision at the Martyr's Well" (1893), and "The Ordeal of Purity" (1894). Mr. Boughton illustrated the edition of "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," published in 1893.