Mt. Washington in the White Mountains by John Frederick Kensett American, 1816 - 1872 oil on canvas, 1856 Gift of Y.M.C.A., Scranton, 60.71 Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, Kensett is famous for capturing the beauty of New England with his landscape and seascape paintings. Trained as a bank engraver, Kensett developed a passion for painting. In 1840, he left to study in Europe with several other artists. He returned to America in 1847 and quickly established himself as a landscape artist, becoming famous and wealthy in his own lifetime. Although his studio and home were in New York, Kensett traveled extensively through New England. Unlike other artists who tended to move to new locations to find inspiration, Kensett returned time and again to his favorite locations, never tiring of their possibilities. The White Mountains in New Hampshire are a very popular location for landscape artists. During the 19th century, over 400 artists visited the White Mountains to paint, including Thomas Cole, Jasper F. Cropsey, Asher B. Durand, Albert Bierstadt, James Hart. Even Artists from Pennsylvania, such as William Trost Richards, Charles Wilson Knapp, Russell Smith, and Edmund Darch Lews came to paint the sights. Kensett himself painted the area multiple times.

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