RobertDuncanson-Landscape Campsite

Robert Seldon Duncanson (1821–1872) was an African American landscape painter active in the mid-19th century. Born in Fayette, New York, he spent much of his childhood in Canada before returning to the United States in the late 1830s. Duncanson began his career as a self-taught artist, but later studied with several established painters, including John Wesley Jarvis and Henry Inman. He gained recognition for his landscapes, often depicting scenes from the American West and South. Duncanson's work was influenced by the Hudson River School of painting, but he also incorporated elements of Romanticism and the Barbizon School into his compositions. He was known for his use of light and colour and his ability to capture the natural beauty of his subjects. Despite facing discrimination as a black artist during his lifetime, Duncanson achieved a level of success and recognition that was rare for African Americans at the time. He exhibited his work in major galleries and exhibitions, including the National Academy of Design and the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. Today, Duncanson is considered one of the most important African American artists of the 19th century. His work is in the collections of several major museums, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Cincinnati Art Museum.