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John Caspar Wild

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John Caspar Wild
Born
Johann Caspar Wild [1]

July 1, 1804
DiedAugust 12, 1846
Davenport, Iowa
NationalitySwiss
Known forPainting, printmaking

John Caspar Wild (or J.C. Wild[2]) (1804 – August 12, 1846) was an American painter and lithographer.

Cincinnati From Behind Newport Barracks, 1835

Personal life

John Caspar Wild was born in Richterswil, Canton Zürich,[3] Switzerland. He moved to Paris, France. In 1832 he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[2] Wild's final home was Davenport, Iowa, a small town in the upper Mississippi river valley. He moved there from St. Louis in the summer of 1844. [4] Wild fell gravely ill with Tuberculoses[5]in the summer of 1846 and he was taken in by Davenport, Iowa millinery businessman George L. Webb.[6]On his death bed, Wild reflected upon his childhood and he yearned to die in his Swiss homeland; it was a wish that was to not be fulfilled[7]Wild died on August 12, 1846.[8]Wild was laid to rest nearly on the banks of the River which he had painted for years. Wild’s grave site was unmarked for decades. [9]

John Caspar Wild Grave Monument

Work

He created early city views and landscapes of Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Ohio, St. Louis, Missouri, and Davenport, Iowa.[2] He specialized in hand-colored lithographs. These views, particularly the Valley of the Mississippi Illustrated were some of the first depictions of the American West.

Notable collections

Further reading

  • Reps, John William, and J. C. Wild. 2006. John Caspar Wild: painter and printmaker of nineteenth-century urban America. St. Louis: Missouri Historical Society Press. ISBN 1-883982-55-3 Designed by Steve Hartman of Creativille, Inc. [1]
  • Wild, J. C., and Lewis Foulk Thomas. 1948. The valley of the Mississippi: illustrated in a series of views, accompanied with historical descriptions. St. Louis, Mo: Joseph Garnier. (this is a reprint; original edition published 1841-2)

References

  1. ^ John Caspar Wild: Painter and Printmaker of 19th Century Urban America, John W. Reps. Page1
  2. ^ a b c d "University of Pennsylvania". Library Company of Philadelphia. World Digital Library. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  3. ^ John Caspar Wild: Painter and Printmaker of 19th Century Urban America, John W. Reps. Page1
  4. ^ John Caspar Wild: Painter and Printmaker of 19th Century Urban America, John W. Reps. Page 95
  5. ^ Geschichte der Stadt Davenport, August P. Richter, Page 293
  6. ^ Geschichte der Stadt Davenport, August P. Richter, Page 293
  7. ^ Geschichte der Stadt Davenport, August P. Richter, Page 293
  8. ^ John Caspar Wild: Painter and Printmaker of 19th Century Urban America, John W. Reps. Page 105
  9. ^ http://qctimes.com/news/local/artist-is-the-reason-we-know-what-davenport-looked-like/article_06e6f6a7-6078-5909-a3ec-39544fdc220f.html
  10. ^ "Pennsylvania Hospital". Library Company of Philadelphia. World Digital Library. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  • John Cushman Abbott Exhibit Supplement -- includes a discussion of Wild and his book The Valley of the Mississippi Illustrated in a Series of Views, a slide show of illustrations from the book, and a downloadable pdf of the book.