Artist Edward Henry Potthast

American Impressionist Painter (1857 – 1927) 

“Children Playing at the Seashore” Edward Henry Potthast

Edward Henry Potthast (June 10, 1857 – March 9, 1927)

Artist Edward Henry Potthast was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He was an American Impressionist oil painter known for his paintings of people enjoying leisurely activities in New York’s Central Park, and on New York and New England beaches.

Edward Henry Potthast first studied art with Thomas Satterwhite Noble…later studying at the Royal Academy in Munich, Germany with the American-born teacher Carl Marr. In 1885 Potthast returned to his hometown of Cincinnati to resume his studies with Noble, and then in 1886; he moved on to Paris, for further study; with french painter Fernand Cormon. In 1895 he changed his residence again to New York City, where he remained until his death in 1927.

Until Potthast was in his late 30’s, he made his living doing lithography, however; Potthast continued to paint & study art, developing & refining his style of painting . When the Cincinnati Museum of Art purchased one of his paintings, it was at this time when Potthast may have decided to abandon doing lithography as a career; choosing instead to become an artist. After his arrival in New York Potthast worked doing illustration for a magazine , although he furthered his career as an artist  with repeated exhibitions at the National Academy of Design, the Society of American Artists and the Salmagundi Club; as well as receiving accolades for his work, for which Potthast won numerous prizes.

Artist Edward Henry Potthast’s paintings reflected the subdued colors and strong contrasts, which were prevalent in the style taught at the school in Munich; where he had studied earlier.  Potthast’s paintings showed the influence of these methods, until later in his career when he adopted an Impressionist style; emphasizing ‘sun-saturated’ images of places such as Central Park, landscapes of many different locations in New England, as well as beach scenes on Long Island.

By the early 1900’s  artist Edward Henry Potthast was installed as an artist  in a studio located at the Gainsborough Building in England. Thereafter his work was & remains, in collections included in many well-known and major museums in the United States.