Edward Willis Redfield, Impressionist Painter (1869‑1965)
Image: New Hope Mill painted by Redfield in 1938
Image: New Hope Mill painted by Redfield in 1938
Edward Redfield was an American Impressionist landscape painter, widely recognized for his contributions to the art colony at New Hope, Pennsylvania.
Born on December 18, 1869, in Bridgeville, Delaware, Redfield moved to Philadelphia as a child, where he showed early artistic talent.
He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1887 to 1889 under notable teachers like Thomas Anschutz, James Kelly, and Thomas Hovenden. In 1889, he traveled to Paris to study at the Academie Julian with William Bouguereau and Tony Robert-Fleury.
After returning to the U.S., he settled in Center Bridge near New Hope in 1898, becoming one of the first artists in what would become known as the New Hope art colony. His work focused on the landscapes of Bucks County, particularly its winter scenes.
Redfield is known for his impressionist approach, with a particular emphasis on plein air painting. He would often paint outdoors in all seasons, strapping his canvas to trees to manage the wind in winter.
He was famous for his ability to complete large canvases in one session, using thick, impasto brush strokes to capture the vibrancy and movement of nature.
His most celebrated works are generally considered to be his winter landscapes, where he masterfully depicted the snow and cold of Bucks County. This earned him a nickname as the leading 20th-century American painter of winter scenes.
Besides winter, Redfield also painted spring scenes, coastal landscapes in Maine, and even some urban landscapes of New York City, though his Bucks County snowscapes are his hallmark.
Redfield won more lifetime awards than any American artist except John Singer Sargent. His works were exhibited widely, including at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915.
He is considered a founding member of the New Hope School, influencing a generation of artists with his dedication to capturing the essence of the American landscape. His paintings are held in numerous prestigious collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
Redfield painted well into his eighties but eventually stopped due to the physical demands of his outdoor painting technique. In his later years, he turned to creating hooked rugs and furniture. He passed away on October 19, 1965, in Center Bridge, Pennsylvania.
