Edward Moran

Edward Moran (August 19, 1829 – June 8, 1901) was an English-born American painter who specialized in marine art. He is best known for his series of thirteen paintings on the maritime history of the United States.

Early life Moran was born to Thomas Moran Sr. and Mary (née Higson) of Lancashire, England on August 19, 1829. Following in the footsteps of his father's profession, he learned to operate a hand-loom at a young age, though he would often be found sketching with charcoal on the white fabric instead of plying the shuttle.

His family first emigrated to Maryland in 1844, and then to Philadelphia a year later. Though Moran loved to regale others with a tale of walking alone from Baltimore to Philadelphia in order to find a better future for himself, his niece has declared that the entire family moved to the city together.

Career

It was in Philadelphia around 1845 that Edward apprenticed under James Hamilton and landscape painter Paul Weber; Hamilton guided Moran specifically in the style of marine paintings. In the 1850s, Moran began to make a name for himself in the Philadelphia artistic scene; working in the same studio as his younger brother, famous American painter Thomas Moran, Edward received commissions and even completed some lithographic work.

In 1862, he traveled to London and became a pupil in the Royal Academy. Proceeds from the exhibit, the catalog, and the sale of another painting (The Relief Ship Entering Havre) were donated by Moran to aid the sufferers of the Franco-Prussian War.

Later life Moran lived in New York City until his death on June 8, 1901. He was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York. Although he had given the series of thirteen paintings to his wife several years before, a legal battle ensued after his death over ownership of the paintings: the executor of Moran's estate refused to hand them over, declaring that they were rightfully under his protection. The Supreme Court in New York City eventually judged in favor of Moran's widow. (1864–1941), his other brother Peter (1841–1914), and his nephew Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863–1930), also became prominent American artists.