No. 132-057

John Ferguson Weir (1841-1926) was an American painter and art educator, best known for his contributions to the development of the American art scene in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Weir was born in West Point, New York, and grew up in a family of artists. His father, Robert Walter Weir, was a prominent painter and art instructor who taught at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and his brother, Julian Alden Weir, would go on to become a celebrated American impressionist painter.

John Ferguson Weir studied at the National Academy of Design in New York and later in Paris, where he was greatly influenced by the works of the French Barbizon School. He returned to the United States in 1866 and began teaching at the Cooper Union School of Art and Architecture, where he helped to develop a new curriculum that emphasized the study of nature and the principles of design.

In 1877, Weir was appointed as the first director of the Yale School of Fine Arts, where he oversaw the expansion of the school's art collection and played a key role in the establishment of the Yale University Art Gallery. During his tenure at Yale, Weir also continued to paint, and his works were exhibited at many major exhibitions, including the Paris Salon and the National Academy of Design.

Weir was a founding member of the Society of American Artists and was a prominent member of many other artistic organizations, including the National Academy of Design and the American Watercolor Society. He continued to teach and paint until his death in 1926, leaving behind a rich legacy as a teacher, artist, and advocate for the development of American art. Today, his works can be found in many major museums and private collections across the United States.