Washington Allston
Washington Allston was an influential American painter and author, born in Waccamaw, South Carolina, to affluent plantation owners. He graduated from Harvard University in 1800 and initially returned to South Carolina but soon sought a different path, ultimately selling much of his inherited land to study under Benjamin West at the Royal Academy in London. Allston's artistic journey took him to Italy, where he immersed himself in the works of the old masters and formed a notable friendship with the poet Samuel Coleridge, even painting his portrait.
Despite his talent and recognition, including consideration for the presidency of the Royal Academy, personal tragedy struck when his wife died, prompting his return to the United States. He established a studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he focused on portraits and historical as well as biblical themes. However, he found the American art scene lacking compared to Europe, which impacted his work; notably, he struggled to complete his ambitious painting "Belshazzar's Feast" over a span of twenty years. Allston's legacy includes his neoclassical style, earning him the nickname "The American Titian," as well as several important contributions to American literature and art criticism, including poetry and essays on artistic philosophy. His works are housed in prestigious institutions like the Museum of Fine Arts and the Fogg Museum at Harvard, highlighting his lasting impact on American art.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Washington Allston
Poet
- Born: November 5, 1779
- Birthplace: Waccamaw, South Carolina
- Died: July 9, 1843
- Place of death: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Biography
Washington Allston was born in Waccamaw, South Carolina, and was the son of wealthy plantation owners. He was educated at Harvard University and graduated in 1800. After college, he briefly returned to South Carolina, but decided that he was not interested in the life of a rural planter. He sold off much of the land that he inherited so that he could travel to London to study painting under Benjamin West at the Royal Academy.
Allston spent four years studying the paintings of the old masters in Italy. While in Italy, he met the poet Samuel Coleridge, and the two shared a lifelong friendship. One of Allston’s most important paintings was a portrait of Coleridge. Allston returned to England to continue painting, and he was under consideration for the position of president of the Royal Academy when his wife died. Devastated, Allston returned to the United States, setting up a studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he painted portraits and paintings with historical and biblical themes. Unfortunately, the artistic atmosphere in the United States did not rival that of Europe, and Allston’s painting began to suffer. He never finished his painting Belshazzar’s Feast, despite working on it for more than twenty years. Allston’s paintings hang in several prominent American galleries, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Fogg Museum at Harvard, and the Atheneum in Boston. Allston was often called “The American Titian” because of his neoclassic painting style.
Although Allston is best remembered as a painter, he was also an author. He wrote poetry, including his volume of verse, The Sylphs of the Seasons, with Other Poems, published in 1813. He also published one novel and wrote a volume of essays that outlined his artistic theories. His volume of essays was acclaimed as the first important work of American art criticism.