David Maitland Armstrong was born on April 15, 1836 in Newburgh, New York, United States. He was the son of Edward Armstrong and the grandson of Col. William Armstrong, a Scotchman in the British army during the Revolutionary War.
His mother was Sarah Hartley Ward, daughter of Col. John Ward of South Carolina.
He entered Trinity College, Hartford, in 1854, graduating with the degree of A. B. in 1858.
He also studied painting both in Rome and Paris, where he had Luc Olivier Merson as his instructor.
Armstrong read law in New York City with the view of becoming a lawyer, was admitted to the bar in 1862, and practised law for several years, but turned finally to painting as a career.
Friendships formed in Europe led him to become interested in diplomatic affairs, and friends obtained for him the position as consul in the Papal States. He received this appointment in March 1869 and held the position three years. Upon the formation of the Paris Exposition in 1878, he was appointed director of the American department, a position he filled with such success that he was made a chevalier of the Legion of Honor for his services.
For the World's Fair in Chicago, in 1893, he frescoed the exterior of the Machinery Hall in a renaissance manner and was also associated in a general way with the exposition. Working in stained glass occupied much of his time during his later years. Examples of his work in glass are to be found in All Souls' Chapel, Biltmore, North Carolina; in the home of Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont, New York City; and in the Columbia University Chapel.
In the spring of 1877 Armstrong returned to "Danskammer, " remodeled an old house near his paternal acres, and lived there for about twenty years. He settled finally in New York City.
He was a great clubman and at the Century Club he frequently met Augustus Saint Gaudens, Stanford White, Charles Follen McKim, and F. Hopkinson Smith. He was a member of the American Artists Society and the Architectural League. He was elected an Associate National Academician in 1906.
(This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curat...)
Member of the American Artists Society, member of the Architectural League.
In 1866 he had married Helen Neilson, a niece of Hamilton Fish. They had five children.
