Gifford Beal
1879-1956

Born the son of a well-regarded landscape painter, Gifford Beal was encouraged to pursue the art of painting from an early age.  Influenced by the teachings of William Merritt Chase, with whom the artist studied for nearly twenty years, he initially painted scenes of modern life in a purely impressionistic manner.  As he matured, however, he developed his artistic identity by incorporating stylistic elements from a variety of prominent movements into his own vision.  Dedicated to capturing the character of American life, Beal depicted the colorful festivities of the privileged classes, such as garden parties and hunting expeditions, as well as merry scenes from the lives of ordinary Americans, like holiday parades and the circus.

In the 1920s, Beal discovered the quiet and calm of Rockport, Massachusetts, the fishing village that inspired his paintings of fishermen and the sea.  From that point until the end of his life, he divided his time between New York City and Rockport, whose contrasting sensibilities uniquely informed his artistic choices.