Colin Cooper (1856-1937)

Colin Campbell Cooper was born in Philadelphia and studied under Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. In addition, he studied at the Academie Julien and the Ecole Delecluse. Traveling in Europe, Cooper painted scenes of European architectural treasures, which gained him recognition. While aboard the RMS Carpathian, Cooper and his wife assisted in rescuing Titanic survivors, which he documented in paintings. He settled in Santa Barbara, California. Over his lifetime, he was a member in clubs, societies, and federations in New York, Philadelphia, and America in general. Cooper is considered a pioneer in American impressionism, in the architectural landscape genre, providing beautiful views of skyscrapers, which contemporaries considered eyesores. Colin Cooper was known for his method of painting watercolor on canvas in such as way that they could be mistaken for oils. This style was later called “The California Style”, which was carried out by few, if any artists, during his time.