William Louis Sonntag Sr. (1822-1900) American, "Trees Along the River" Miniature Landscape Watercolor on Paper. Heavy matting with a gilt frame adorned with floral decorations in the corners. Signed bottom left. Plaque at bottom gives title, attribution, and life period of the artist. Label on reverse. 

Condition: Minor scuffs to plexiglass and frame. 

Overall Size: 13 1/2 x 15 1/2 in. 

Sight Size: 2 5/8 x 4 5/8 in. 

William Louis Sonntag Sr. was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 2nd, 1822, and discovered a fascination with landscape painting in his teens, traveling to Cincinnati, Ohio, at the age of 21 to perfect his technique under several different teachers. He quickly became an established and highly regarded landscape artist, making several trips to Florence, Italy starting in 1853 alongside Robert Seldon Duncanson. In 1856 Sonntag permanently moved to New York and became a leading figure in both miniature and traditional sized Romantic landscapes as part of the Hudson River School, many of which became associated with the concept of American Manifest Destiny (despite often being of Italian countrysides rather than the American West). In his later years he discovered photography and began painting from photos of places he never was able to visit, including the Grand Canyon and parts of the Pacific Northwest, as well as teaching his son to become a painter before tragically losing him to an accident in 1898. This loss led to a persistent depression and downward health spiral that ended in his own death on January 22nd, 1900.

Minor scuffs to plexiglass and frame. 

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