Wesley Elbridge Webber

Art Brokerage: Wesley Elbridge Webber American Artist: b. 1839-1914. Landscape and marine painter Wesley Webber was born in Gardiner, Maine in 1839 and died in Wollaston, Massachusetts in November 1914. He lived in Boston from 1870 to 1890 and in New York City from 1892. He was self-taught. He is considered one of the finer landscape painters who painted from life in the Conway area of New Hampshire and along the New England coast, and he is reminiscent of the Hudson River School in style and manner. Webber served in the Civil War and was present at General Lee's surrender at Appomattox. His original sketches made at the surrender, along with his finished illustrations of the Civil War, were shown at the Boston Art Club and brought Webber considerable fame, recognition, and fortune. Many of his Civil War scenes were published as wood engravings in Harper's Weekly and as a lithograph published by J.H. Bufford of Boston. He was discharged from Civil War service in 1865. He opened a studio in Gardiner, where he became a carriage painter. Thereafter, Webber earned a fine reputation as a marine and landscape painter, but at the end of his life his style weakened along with his reputation. Two of his most famous paintings are Kennebec River, Maine Boat Shop and Unidentified Vessels Ice-bound at Gloucester (both at the Peabody Museum, Salem, MA). Listings wanted.