George Hitchcock

During his artistic career, George Hitchcock primarily lived in the Netherlands, painting tulips and portraits in traditional costume to convey his affection for the country. As a painter, he gained fame for large-scale religious works depicting biblical figures in peasant clothing. George Hitchcock's paintings included both religious and rural scenes in addition to his figural paintings, usually featuring women dressed in traditional clothing.  Aside from the academic style of European painting, the artist was also influenced by the Impressionist movement. By utilizing non-traditional compositions, incorporating patterns, and emphasizing intense colors, Hitchcock revealed the influence of Impressionism.  Light and shadow became well-known characteristics of Hitchcock's work, with his subjects often infused with a luminous aura. Visit Bidsquare to view and buy George Hitchcock's works of art. Explore our selection of artwork by the artist. 

In many landscape paintings, Hitchcock disguised religious subjects to appear like common folk, thereby engaging the audience and enhancing the spirituality of the work. Tulip Culture, an oil painting of a Dutch garden Hitchcock painted in the Netherlands, caught the attention of the public and was awarded a gold medal at the Paris Salon. His use of vibrant colors and strong contrasts between light and shadow, especially with his renowned La Culture des Tulipes, earned him the title of "Painter of Sunlight." It is his appreciation of nature that is evident in the delicate textured George Hitchcock's paintings. As a student at Heatherley's School of Fine Arts, London, Hitchcock spent much of his time drawing at the National Gallery and British Museum. Botticelli and J M W Turner were among his favorite artists. Afterward, Hitchcock studied under Jules Lefebvre and Gustave Boulanger at the Academie Julian in Paris. 

The Hague was the home for Hitchcock for many summers while he studied under H W Mesdag, and he continued his studies at the Düsseldorf Academy as well. A short distance from the North Sea, Egmond-aan-Zee was the home of Alfred Hitchcock. As an expatriate, he established an art colony with fellow expat Gari Melchers to teach art during the summers. After living and working in the Netherlands for many years, Hitchcock established an art school with returning artists, later referred to as the Egmondse School. A relatively successful artist himself, Hitchcock had a wide range of exhibitions in Europe and the United States, including the National Academy of Design and the Pennsylvania Academy.

He often painted religious subjects - among his most notable patrons were Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Emperor Franz Joseph. A brief visit to America included exhibitions in New York, Providence, and Detroit. The National Academy of Design elected him to its associate membership. In Europe, he was the only American to be honored with the Order of Franz Josef, and the first American to be elected to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. The French Legion of Honor made him a Chevalier.