Shepard Alonzo Mount

Born July 17, 1804; died Sept. 18, 1868

Biography from the Archives of askART

Born in Setauket, Long Island, New York, he was one of three artist brothers including Henry Smith and William Sidney Mount, all active in the National Academy of Design. At age 17, he was apprenticed in New Haven, Connecticut to a carriage builder who later transferred him to New York City where he reunited with his two brothers. They practiced drawing together, and in 1928, Shepard enrolled in the National Academy of Design. He lived briefly in Athens, Pennsylvania, and he also studied portraiture with Henry Inman in New York City. His acclaimed 1838 portrait entry in the National Academy was a career turning point. He died from cholera at age 64.

Accessed on 1/24/2018