George Esten Cooke

Place: St. Mary's County

Born: 1793

Death: 1849

Biography:

George Esten Cooke

, a prominent American painter, was born in 1793 in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He abandoned his early career in business to pursue a full-time artistic career. Cooke's work is characterized by its realistic depiction of American landscapes and portraits, making him one of the South's best-known painters of the mid-nineteenth century.

Early Life and Career

Cooke began his artistic journey by painting portraits for a living. He later embarked on a five-year tour of Europe, where he learned from and copied the works of Renaissance master artists. His time in Europe was marked by the creation of several notable pieces, including a copy of The Raft of the Medusa, a monumental painting by Théodore Géricault. This piece was shown in various cities across the United States, including Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City. After returning to the United States, Cooke traveled extensively throughout the Southern states, painting portraits of both famous and ordinary people. His work earned him financial success and regional fame by the 1840s. Notable among his patrons was Daniel Pratt, an Alabama industrialist who commissioned Cooke to paint several pieces, including Interior of St. Peter's Rome. This giant painting, based on a smaller piece Cooke had previously painted during his travels in Europe, is considered one of his best-known works.

Daniel Pratt's Patronage and Later Work

Pratt's patronage played a significant role in Cooke's career. In 1844, Cooke met Pratt in New Orleans, and the two formed a professional relationship that would last for several years. Pratt provided Cooke with a gallery and studio space in one of his warehouses, which later became a separate gallery in his home in Prattville, Alabama. This gallery was solely dedicated to housing Cooke's art. Some of Cooke's notable works include:

• Tallulah Falls, a painting showcasing his skill in landscape painting.
• General Williams C. Wickham, Lucy P. Wickham and son, a portrait that demonstrates his ability to capture the essence of his subjects.
• Interior of St. Peter's Rome, a giant painting that is considered one of his best-known works.

Death and Legacy

Cooke's health was never very good, and he contracted cholera in 1849, which led to his death. After his death, the gallery in Prattville, Alabama, was found to be infested with dry rot and had to be torn down. As a result, all of Cooke's work housed at the gallery was destroyed or dispersed. Today, Cooke's work can be found in various museums across the United States, including the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, Georgia, which houses his notable piece Interior of St. Peter's Rome. His legacy continues to be celebrated through his artwork, and he remains one of the most important figures in American art history. https://Wikioo.org/@/George-Esten-Cooke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Cooke_(painter) https://Wikioo.org/Art.nsf/O/A@D3C5Y9 https://Wikioo.org/Art.nsf/O/A@D3CP67