Blakelock, Ralph Albert (1847-1919), was an American landscape painter. Many of his works feature wild, lonely scenes with trees silhouetted against the moon or the setting sun. Blakelock simplified the appearance of most of his subjects to create a mystical or romantic mood. He used rich, mellow colors. Many of his paintings were inspired by music.
Blakelock was born on Oct. 15, 1847, in New York City, and he lived there most of his life. From 1869 to 1872, he wandered through the West. Blakelock based much of his later work on his memories and sketches of the West.
During the 1800’s, few people liked or understood Blakelock’s paintings. He sold his works for small sums to support his wife and nine children. In 1899, Blakelock suffered a mental breakdown, largely because of artistic rejection and financial pressure. He never recovered. He died on Aug. 9, 1919. In the early 1900’s, his paintings became popular and their value increased tremendously.
