Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Howard Russell Butler died in 1934; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2004.
In context
St. Augustine — Howard Russell Butler
The original measures 43 × 27 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, 78 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of Howard Russell Butler (1856–1934) every dated painting, decade by decade
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/howard-russell-butler-st-augustine-AR2HBW-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Rosy Brown #b6b2a9
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 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 48 works by this artist, of which 11 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: March 3, 1856, in New York City.
Family Background: Butler was the son of William Allen Butler, a renowned lawyer and satirist, and Harriet Allen. His uncle, William Stanley Haseltine, was also an artist.
Early Training: He received initial artistic training from William Shannon and benefited from exposure to the National Academy of Design, where his parents were fellows, as well as his uncle’s studio.
Academic Pursuits: Butler attended Princeton University, earning a degree in Science in 1876. He briefly served as an assistant professor of physics there before pursuing legal studies at Columbia University, graduating in 1881.
Early Career: Initially practicing patent law, Butler ultimately decided to dedicate himself entirely to painting in 1884.
Further Studies: He studied under Frederic Edwin Church in Mexico and later with J. Carroll Beckwith and George de Forest Brush at the Art Students League in New York.
European Influence: From 1885 to 1887, Butler lived in France, specifically Paris and Concarneau, immersing himself in the American artistic colony there.
Diverse Subjects: Butler’s work encompassed seascapes, landscapes, portraits, and notably, depictions of solar eclipses.
Influences: His style reflects influences from Realism and Impressionism, blending detailed observation with atmospheric effects.
Unique Focus on Eclipses: He developed a unique approach to capturing the transient colors and phenomena of solar eclipses, utilizing his scientific background.
American Fine Arts Society: Butler founded the American Fine Arts Society in 1889 and led it for its first seventeen years, promoting American art.
Carnegie Lake: He persuaded Andrew Carnegie to fund the construction of Carnegie Lake near Princeton University, a significant contribution to the university’s rowing program.
Architectural Projects: Butler designed Carnegie's mansion on Fifth Avenue (now the Cooper-Hewitt Museum) and an astronomy hall for the American Museum of Natural History.
Solar Eclipse Paintings: His paintings documenting solar eclipses were displayed at the Hayden Planetarium for many years, showcasing his unique artistic and scientific perspective.
Bridging Art and Science: Butler’s life exemplifies a rare combination of artistic talent and scientific understanding.
Patronage and Philanthropy: His relationship with Andrew Carnegie highlights the role of patronage in supporting the arts during the Gilded Age.
Lasting Impact: Butler’s work continues to be exhibited in prominent museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Museum of American Art, preserving his legacy as a notable American artist.
Death: Howard Russell Butler passed away on May 20, 1934, near Carnegie Lake, leaving behind a diverse body of work that reflects his multifaceted talents and interests.
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Look closely
St. Augustine — Howard Russell Butler
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.
"St. Augustine" by Howard Russell Butler is recorded as brilliant, with a gentle luminance luminance.
The colors of "St. Augustine" by Howard Russell Butler show a muted saturation with a monochromatic intensity.
Hand-painted copies of "St. Augustine" by Howard Russell Butler are sold on this website: a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas, ordered from its Hand-Painted Reproduction page.