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Henry Inman's father was a brewer from England who settled near Utica, New York. In 1801, the future artist was born there, where he grew up and later attended school. In addition to his classical schooling, Inman received his first art and drawing lessons there from an itinerant portrait painter. After the family moved to New York in 1812, he continued his study of drawing. His most important training, however, began two years later when he was accepted for a seven-year apprenticeship by John Wesley Jarvis, the leading portrait painter in New York at the time. During his apprenticeship with Jarvis, Inman accompanied him on several painting trips, most notably to New Orleans. He quickly acquired the basic knowledge of painting and soon assumed responsibility for the backgrounds and draperies of his master's works. He learned to paint fine miniatures and soon after produced his first large oil portrait. So when his apprenticeship ended, he was more than ready to start his own career. Inman settled in New York and in 1822 married Jane O'Brien, with whom he would have 6 children. Although he himself had only recently studied, he soon took on students. In addition to his popular portraits, he began to paint occasional genre paintings. He also incorporated his painting style, which was influenced by the Catholic faith, into his landscapes.
Inman increasingly contributed illustrations to gift books, but also continued to paint portraits and made short trips to Baltimore and New York. For a time he lived on a farm he had purchased across the river from Philadelphia in Mt. Holly, New Jersey, but a few years later he sold his real estate and returned to New York. During a prosperous period, Inman engaged in land speculation, but after the Depression of 1837 he unexpectedly ran into financial difficulties. Combined with his chronic asthma and failing health, the next few years became a struggle for survival.
In 1844, accompanied by a daughter, he made a long-delayed trip to England, Although his health did not improve, he was able to produce a group of portraits in London and study the landscape of Scotland and northern England. In 1845 he returned to New York, but after a two-month illness he died in 1846. Inman was buried with a long, solemn funeral procession through the streets of Manhattan, and a month later an unusual memorial exhibition of 126 of his paintings raised nearly $2,000 for his widow and six children. A son, John O'Brien Inman, later became an artist as well.
Henry Inman's father was a brewer from England who settled near Utica, New York. In 1801, the future artist was born there, where he grew up and later attended school. In addition to his classical schooling, Inman received his first art and drawing lessons there from an itinerant portrait painter. After the family moved to New York in 1812, he continued his study of drawing. His most important training, however, began two years later when he was accepted for a seven-year apprenticeship by John Wesley Jarvis, the leading portrait painter in New York at the time. During his apprenticeship with Jarvis, Inman accompanied him on several painting trips, most notably to New Orleans. He quickly acquired the basic knowledge of painting and soon assumed responsibility for the backgrounds and draperies of his master's works. He learned to paint fine miniatures and soon after produced his first large oil portrait. So when his apprenticeship ended, he was more than ready to start his own career. Inman settled in New York and in 1822 married Jane O'Brien, with whom he would have 6 children. Although he himself had only recently studied, he soon took on students. In addition to his popular portraits, he began to paint occasional genre paintings. He also incorporated his painting style, which was influenced by the Catholic faith, into his landscapes.
Inman increasingly contributed illustrations to gift books, but also continued to paint portraits and made short trips to Baltimore and New York. For a time he lived on a farm he had purchased across the river from Philadelphia in Mt. Holly, New Jersey, but a few years later he sold his real estate and returned to New York. During a prosperous period, Inman engaged in land speculation, but after the Depression of 1837 he unexpectedly ran into financial difficulties. Combined with his chronic asthma and failing health, the next few years became a struggle for survival.
In 1844, accompanied by a daughter, he made a long-delayed trip to England, Although his health did not improve, he was able to produce a group of portraits in London and study the landscape of Scotland and northern England. In 1845 he returned to New York, but after a two-month illness he died in 1846. Inman was buried with a long, solemn funeral procession through the streets of Manhattan, and a month later an unusual memorial exhibition of 126 of his paintings raised nearly $2,000 for his widow and six children. A son, John O'Brien Inman, later became an artist as well.