Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Elihu Vedder died in 1923; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1993.
In context
Two Palm Trees — Elihu Vedder
The original measures 21 × 10 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 87 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of Elihu Vedder (1836–1923) every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1867 Main working years: 1867–1887 Late works: from 1887
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/elihu-vedder-two-palm-trees-D328SS-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Celadon #b3b3b3
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 99.5% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 67 works by this artist, of which 17 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in New York City, United States of America
Born: February 26, 1836, New York City, United States
Died: January 29, 1923, Rome, Italy
Elijah Vedder was born into a family with unique circumstances – his parents were cousins. His early life was shaped by diverse experiences including time spent in Cuba due to his father's relocation and periods between his maternal grandfather’s home in Schenectady and boarding school. Despite initial reservations from his father, Vedder's artistic ambitions were supported by his mother.
Early Training: Vedder began formal training in New York City under Tompkins H. Matteson.
European Studies: He furthered his studies in Paris with François-Édouard Picot and later in Italy, where he was profoundly influenced by the Italian Renaissance and the Macchiaioli painters.
Italian Influence: His time in Italy fostered a deep emotional connection with fellow painter Giovanni Costa, leading to travels before financial constraints forced his return to America.
Vedder’s career spanned various artistic disciplines, from painting and illustration to mural design and poetry. He cultivated friendships with prominent figures like Walt Whitman and Herman Melville.
Illustrations for the Rubaiyat: Vedder is best known for his fifty-five illustrations accompanying Edward FitzGerald's translation of The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam (deluxe edition). These illustrations are considered masterpieces of Symbolist art.
Visionary Paintings: Notable paintings include "The Roc’s Egg," “The Fisherman and the Genii,” and “Lair of the Sea Serpent,” showcasing his visionary style and imaginative themes.
Mural Work: He decorated the hallway of the Reading Room in the Washington Library of Congress with mural paintings.
Tiffany Collaboration: Vedder collaborated with Louis Comfort Tiffany, designing glassware, mosaics, and statuettes for the Tiffany company.
Vedder’s artistic style is characterized by its visionary nature, romantic imagery, and frequent incorporation of Oriental influences.
Symbolism: Vedder was a key figure in the Symbolist movement, emphasizing emotion and individualism over strict realism.
Pre-Raphaelites: His time in England exposed him to the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, influencing his artistic style towards greater clarity and detail.
English and Irish Mystics: He was influenced by the works of William Blake and William Butler Yeats, reflecting a fascination with mysticism and spirituality.
Italian Renaissance & Macchiaioli: His studies in Italy shaped his understanding of form, color, and composition.
Vedder’s contributions to American art extended beyond painting. He helped establish the In Arte Libertas group in Italy and left behind a body of written work including autobiographical reflections and poetry.
Membership: Vedder was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Literary Pursuits: He published The Digressions of V (1910), Miscellaneous Moods in Verse (1914), and Doubt and Other Things (1922).
Later Years: Vedder spent his later years primarily in Italy, continuing to create art and write until his death in Rome in 1923. His legacy endures through his evocative paintings and illustrations that continue to captivate audiences today.
topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/elihu-vedder-two-palm-trees-D328SS-en/
Look closely
Two Palm Trees — Elihu Vedder
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
"Two Palm Trees" by Elihu Vedder is proportioned as a tall work of 21 x 10 cm.
The AR Preview page of "Two Palm Trees" by Elihu Vedder uses augmented reality to show the artwork in your own space, on a compatible device.
The color intensity of "Two Palm Trees" is monochromatic. Intensity describes how strong the colors appear.