Background
Casilear, John William was born on June 25, 1811 in New York City. Son of John and Rebecca (Stevens) Casilear.
Casilear, John William was born on June 25, 1811 in New York City. Son of John and Rebecca (Stevens) Casilear.
His first professional training was under prominent New York engraver Peter Maverick in the 1820s, then with Asher Durand, himself an engraver at the time. Casilear and Durand became friends, and both worked as engravers in New York through the 1830s. Durand, in turn, drew Casilear"s attention to painting.
By 1840, Casilear"s interest in art was sufficiently strong to accompany Durand, John Frederick Kensett, and artist Thomas Prichard Rossiter on a European trip during which they sketched scenes, visited art museums, and fostered their interest in painting.
Casilear gradually developed his talent in landscape art, painting in the style that was later to become known as the Hudson River School. By the middle 1850s he had entirely ceased his engraving career in favor of painting full-time.
Casilear died in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1893. Today examples of his art are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the National Gallery of Art, Washington District of Columbia, and Ringwood Manor, Ringwood, New Jersey.
Married Ellen Howard, 1867.