Farnham, Ammi Merchant

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Farnham, Ammi Merchant

Farnham, Ammi Merchant (1845-1922).

San Diego Coastal by Ammi Merchant Farnham (1845-1922)

14" x 24", Oil/Canvas, Signed Lower Right

Est.: $3,000 - $4,000
Sold by John Moran Auctioneers for $4,400 on 6/15/2004
ARTIST WORLD RECORD

Painter, etcher. Born in Silver Creek, NY on Jan. 13, 1845.

Farnham began his art career at age 12. At 18 he studied at the Munich Academy under Frank Duveneck and at the Royal Academy of Bavaria.

Back home, he was curator of the Buffalo Academy of Fine Arts for many years. He was active in San Francisco before settling in San Diego, CA about 1889.

He continued his ties to Buffalo and often stopped there en route to Europe.

In 1915 the San Diego Art Guild was formed with Farnham as its first president. He continued to paint until shortly before his death in San Diego on July 20, 1922.

His oeuvre includes portraits, figures, and landscapes in oil and watercolor. His atmospheric landscapes were often painted in late afternoon and depict luminous twilights with a rising moon.

Exh: Mechanics' Inst. (SF), 1884; SFAA, 1884, 1889; Albert-Knox Gallery (Buffalo), 1914; Panama-Calif. Int'l Expo (San Diego), 1915 (silver medal); Calif.-Pacific Int'l Expo (San Diego), 1935.

In: San Diego Museum; Buffalo Historical Society; Buffalo Club (New Windsor, NY). San Diego Historical Society; PAP.

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