Artist Biography & Facts

Carlton Theodore Chapman

Born in New London, OH on Sept. 18, 1860, Carlton Chapman studied in New York City at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League, and in Paris at Académie Julian.

He was a resident of Los Angeles in 1912-18. He died in New York City on Feb. 12, 1925.

Member:
National Academy and California Art Club.

Exhibition:
World's Columbian Expo (Chicago), 1893 (award);
Atlanta Expo, 1895 (award);
Pan-American Expo, Buffalo, 1901 (medal);
Albright Gallery (Buffalo), 1906;
Kanst Gallery (LA), 1912.

Collections:
Toledo Museum; Brooklyn Institute.

Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
Ferdinand Perret Files; Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors & Engravers (Fielding, Mantle); Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs, et Graveurs (Bénézit, E); American Art Annual 1924; Art News, 2-14-1925 and NY Times, 2-13-1925 (obits).

Nearly 20,000 biographies can be found in Artists in California 1786-1940 by Edan Hughes and is available for sale ($150). For a full book description and order information please click here.

The following, based on family records and obituaries of the artist, is from Gerry Chapman, relative of the artist.

Born: September 18, 1860, New London, Ohio
Died: February 12, 1925, New York City, New York
Married: Aurelie M. Reynaud, November 8, 1911, Bronxville, New York

Carlton Chapman was raised under the auspices of the Baptist faith, but his scholastic education was received mainly in Oberlin schools where the family moved in about 1873.  As a boy he spent summers in his uncle's shipyard in Maine.

He moved to New York and studied at the Art Student's League and at the National Academy.  He also gained experience at the Academie Julian in Paris, the South Kensingston Museum, and the National Gallery in London.  Chapman was a student of marine architecture and his studies was literally a museum of naval memorabilia, and nearly all of his works were done with the sea in mind.

Chapman was commissioned by the US Naval Academy to paint pictures of Naval activities during the War of 1812.  His illustrations appear in a book by James Barnes Naval Actions of the War of 1812.  There are many books written with his illustrations. His paintings are in the Naval Academy Museum, Duquesne Club of Pittsburgh, Larchmont Yacht Club, Atlantic Yacht Club and Lotus Club all of New York and the Ellicott Club of Buffalo.

Several museums have a collection of his paintings - de Young Memorial Museum, San Francisco, CA, Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich, CT, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA, The Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, NY, New York Historical Society, New York, NY, The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH. J. Pierpont Morgan, Esq of New York City bought several of his paintings.

His paintings are loaned by the Naval Academy to be displayed in Government office buildings.

He received many awards and commendations for his paintings. Among his awards was a Silver Medal presented at Boston, 1892.  Bronze Medals at The World's Colombian Exposition at Chicago, 1893; Atlanta Exposition, 1894; Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, 1901 and Charleston Exposition in 1902. 

He was a Member of the Jury of Selection for the United States Section, Department of Art, and also of the International Jury of Award for the Universal Exposition in St. Louis, 1904.  He was an Associate of the National Academy member of the American Water Color Society, the New York Water Color Club, New York Etching Club, Artists' Fund Society and the Century Association.  His last exhibition (posthumously) was at the Toledo Museum of Art in 1925.

During the Spanish American War, he was sent by Harper's Magazine Weekly of New York with the U.S. Navy to Cuba and witnessed nearly all the important engagements of the Spanish American War.  He supplied their pictorial publication with sketches of the war.  Carlton was with Admiral Sampson's Fleet from the beginning to the end of the war in the Caribbean.  He witnessed the destruction of Cervera's Fleet. He also worked for Scribner's Magazine illustrating Captain Mahan's articles on famous U.S. Naval battles.

Following is his obituary from The New York Times, February 13, 1925, p. 17.:
"Carlton T. Chapman Dies. American Landscape and Marine Painter Had Won Many Medals. Carlton Theodore Chapman, marine and landscape artist who had won many medals at art exhibitions in this country, died yesterday of Heart Disease at his residence, 58 West Fifty-seventh Street, where services will be held at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon.  He left a widow, formerly Aurelie M. Reynaud of Mount Vernon, who he married in 1911.

Mr. Chapman was born in New London, Ohio, September 18, 1860, and received his professional training at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League in this city.  His paintings were awarded medals at Boston in 1892, at Chicago in 1893, Atlanta in 1894, Buffalo in 1901, and at Charleston in 1902.

In Carlton's will, he bequeathed all his New York City holdings to his wife.  His sister, Helen received all of his Ohio property. "Carlton Chapman's Estate to Wife. The will of Carlton Theodore Chapman, marine and landscape artist, who died at his home at 58 West Fifty-seventh Street on February 12, bequeaths his residuary estate to his wife, Aurelie Reynaud Chapman, whom he married in 1911. The value of the estate was not disclosed in the will, which was filed yesterday in the Surrogates' Court. The residence, household furniture and other property, which he owned in Toledo, Ohio, go to his sister, Helen G. Chapman of that city.  His wife is named as executrix. The New York Times, Sunday, March 22, 1925."

Before Aurelie died she sold some of his paintings and also donated some to the Naval Academy in Annapolis.

He was buried in Grove Street Cemetery, New London, Ohio.

Carlton Chapman (American, 1860-1925)

Carlton Chapman was born in 1860 in New London, Ohio. He spent his summers as a boy at his uncle’s shipyard in Maine, where his love of the sea grew. He moved to New York and studied painting at the Art Student’s League and at the National Academy. He studied naval architecture and the sea, and traveled to Europe where he viewed and studied the collections at the South Kensington Museum and the National Gallery in London. He took classes at the Académie Julian in Paris, and thereafter returned to New York.

As his marine paintings were accurately detailed and he understood naval architecture, as well as the movements created by wind upon the sea, he was commissioned by the U.S. Naval Academy to paint pictures of naval activities during the War of 1812. Many of which were later published as illustrations. During the Spanish American War, Harper’s Magazine Weekly sent him to sea with the U.S. Navy to Cuba as an active illustrator to cover the news as the engagements unfolded. He sent his war sketches for publication, staying with the Fleet until the conclusion of the war.

Chapman received many awards for his paintings, including: a Silver Medal in Boston in 1892, and several Bronze Medals at the World’s Colombian Exposition at Chicago in 1902. He was an associate of the American Watercolor Society, the New York Watercolor Club, New York Etching Club, Artists’ Fund Society, and the Century Association.

In 1911, Carleton Chapman married Aurelie Reynaud and they resided in Bronxville, NY. Chapman died on February 12th, 1925, in New York City.

His paintings are included in many important collections, including: the Naval Academy Museum, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the de Young Memorial Museum, as well as the Duquesne Club, the Larchmont Yacht
Club, and the Atlantic Yacht Club.

Researched, written and submitted by Ann Marenakos, ASA, Adelaide Fine Art