River Landscape

Edward B. Gay immigrated with his family from Ireland to Albany, New York in 1848. Three local Albany artists, James and William Hart and George Boughton, recognized Gay's talent when he was a child and encouraged him to pursue painting.

Gay traveled to Europe and settled in Karlsruhe, Germany in 1862 where he studied with historical painters Johann Schirmer and Karl Friedrich Lessing. He returned to the United States in 1864, and began devoting his time to painting landscapes. Gay moved with his wife and children to Mount Vernon, New York and incorporated the magnificent local landscapes into his work.

An active participant in the Albany art community, he was first influenced by the Hudson River School. However, during a trip to Europe he encountered the work of John Constable of the Barbizon School and was struck by the "new Progressive spirit" of Constable's work. While traveling through England and France, he discovered "new approaches to color and light."