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Leonard Ochtman
(1854–1934)
Leonard Ochtman was born in Holland, and when he was 12 came to this country - to Albany, New York - with his family. He was introduced to art by his father, a decorative painter. As a young man he worked as a draftsman at an engraving plant and spent his free time painting outdoors. When the family moved to New York City, he enrolled for one course at the Art Students League. That was the extent of his formal training, but he had trained himself so well that by the time he went to Europe in 1885 he had already exhibited at the National Academy of Design. Ochtman married Mina Fonda, another artist, in 1891 and settled in Cos Cob. He exhibited widely, and was a respected teacher.
Leonard Ochtman, like John Twachtman, was introduced to art by his father, a decorative painter. In Albany to which the family migrated from Holland in 1866, the young Ochtman worked as a draftsman in an engraving plant and spent his free time painting outdoors. When the family moved to New York, he carefully studied the paintings in the city’s museums. One course at the Art Students League in 1879 constituted his formal art training, but so successful was his self-instruction that by the time he went to Europe in 1885, he had already exhibited at the National Academy of Design. Since Twachtman also painted in France and Holland in 1885, it is possible that the two artists, who were soon to settle in the same town, met abroad.
Ochtman married another artist, Mina Fonda, in 1891, and settled in Cos Cob, where he entertained Theodore Robinson and other artist friends. From his studio on Valley Road, he roamed the Mianus Gorge with palette and easel. His landscapes – especially those set in fall and winter – were popular during his lifetime. Ochtman exhibited widely, though he was one of the few Cos Cob artists not represented in the Armory Show.
The self-taught artist was also a respected teacher. In 1910 and 1911 he conducted the New York Summer School in Mianus, a section of Cos Cob.
Ochtman became one of the founders and the first vice-president of the Greenwich Society of Artists in 1912, serving as its president from 1919 to 1932. His artist daughter, Dorothy Ochtman DelMar, was also an active member. Ochtman was also a member of the Society of American Artists, the National Academy of Design, the American Watercolor Society, the New York Watercolor Club, and the Society of Landscape Painters.
His awards include a medal at the Columbian Exposition, 1893; two gold medals at the St. Louis Exposition, 1904; a silver medal at the Panama-Pacific Exposition,1915; the Morgan Prize of the Salmagundi Club, 1902: the Shaw Fund Prize of the Society of American Artists, 1902: the Inness gold medal of the National Academy of Design, 1903; the Webb prize of the Society of American Artists, 1904; and the Corcoran prize, 1905.
Ochtman died in Cos Cob in 1934. He had resided there for forty-three years.
Further reading:
Bigelow, Edward F. "Skilled Interpreters of Near-by Nature." Guide to Nature, 17 (Oct. 1924), 65-71.
(1854–1934)
Leonard Ochtman was born in Holland, and when he was 12 came to this country - to Albany, New York - with his family. He was introduced to art by his father, a decorative painter. As a young man he worked as a draftsman at an engraving plant and spent his free time painting outdoors. When the family moved to New York City, he enrolled for one course at the Art Students League. That was the extent of his formal training, but he had trained himself so well that by the time he went to Europe in 1885 he had already exhibited at the National Academy of Design. Ochtman married Mina Fonda, another artist, in 1891 and settled in Cos Cob. He exhibited widely, and was a respected teacher.
Leonard Ochtman, like John Twachtman, was introduced to art by his father, a decorative painter. In Albany to which the family migrated from Holland in 1866, the young Ochtman worked as a draftsman in an engraving plant and spent his free time painting outdoors. When the family moved to New York, he carefully studied the paintings in the city’s museums. One course at the Art Students League in 1879 constituted his formal art training, but so successful was his self-instruction that by the time he went to Europe in 1885, he had already exhibited at the National Academy of Design. Since Twachtman also painted in France and Holland in 1885, it is possible that the two artists, who were soon to settle in the same town, met abroad.
Ochtman married another artist, Mina Fonda, in 1891, and settled in Cos Cob, where he entertained Theodore Robinson and other artist friends. From his studio on Valley Road, he roamed the Mianus Gorge with palette and easel. His landscapes – especially those set in fall and winter – were popular during his lifetime. Ochtman exhibited widely, though he was one of the few Cos Cob artists not represented in the Armory Show.
The self-taught artist was also a respected teacher. In 1910 and 1911 he conducted the New York Summer School in Mianus, a section of Cos Cob.
Ochtman became one of the founders and the first vice-president of the Greenwich Society of Artists in 1912, serving as its president from 1919 to 1932. His artist daughter, Dorothy Ochtman DelMar, was also an active member. Ochtman was also a member of the Society of American Artists, the National Academy of Design, the American Watercolor Society, the New York Watercolor Club, and the Society of Landscape Painters.
His awards include a medal at the Columbian Exposition, 1893; two gold medals at the St. Louis Exposition, 1904; a silver medal at the Panama-Pacific Exposition,1915; the Morgan Prize of the Salmagundi Club, 1902: the Shaw Fund Prize of the Society of American Artists, 1902: the Inness gold medal of the National Academy of Design, 1903; the Webb prize of the Society of American Artists, 1904; and the Corcoran prize, 1905.
Ochtman died in Cos Cob in 1934. He had resided there for forty-three years.
Further reading:
Bigelow, Edward F. "Skilled Interpreters of Near-by Nature." Guide to Nature, 17 (Oct. 1924), 65-71.
Artist Objects
A Meadow Stream, 1885 1995.20.2
Landscape 2002.1.100