William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
American, 1866-1955
William R. Leigh was born in Berkeley County, West Virginia in 1866 and spent his boyhood on a farm. At the age of fourteen he was sent to the Maryland Institute in Baltimore to begin his art training. Although from a very poor family, he managed to spend twelve years in Europe where he studied at the Royal Academy in Munich, Germany. Upon returning to the United States he opened a studio in New York and did illustrations for "Scribner's Magazine". It was not until he was forty years old that he was able to see the West which had occupied his thoughts for such a long time. His bold use of color depicted the clear light and brilliant hues of the West as he saw it. It was during this phase of his career that he came to be known as the "Sagebrush Rembrandt".
In 1921 Leigh married Ethel Traphagen, a women's clothing designer, and together they established the successful Traphagen School of Fashion in New York City.
In 1926 and 1928 he made two trips to Africa. On these trips he did many paintings of big game, and returning to New York he did the backgrounds for animal habitat groups. He painted in the Southwest nearly every summer between 1912 and 1926. His style was realistic and his palette invariably had the Southwestern hues of soft pinks, reds, yellows and purples. In fact, his critics who knew little of the Southwest accused him of fabricating the colors. He died in 1955.1
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
808
408
306
282
2
2
Artist: William Robinson Leigh
Bull
By William Robinson Leigh
Located in Missouri, MO
Bull by W. R. Leigh (1866-1955)
Signed Lower Left
Unframed: 20" x 16"
Framed: 33.25" x 27.25"
Born near Falling Waters, West Virginia on a plantation a year after the Civil War, and raised in Baltimore, William Leigh became one of the foremost painters of the American West with a career of seventy-five years. Some people referred to him as the "Sagebrush Rembrandt".
He was the son of impoverished Southern aristocrats and took his first art training at age 14 from Hugh Newell (1830-1915) at the Maryland Institute where he was regarded as one of the best students in his class. From 1883 to 1895, he studied in Europe, mainly at the Royal Academy in Munich with Ludwig Loefftz. From 1891 to 1896, he painted six cycloramas or murals in the round, a giant German panorama.
In 1896, he began working as a magazine illustrator in New York City for Scribner's and Collier's Weekly Magazine, and he also painted portraits, landscapes, and genre scenes. However, he was not a very successful artist in those years in New York.
Trips to the Southwest began in 1906 when he made an agreement with William Simpson, Santa Fe Railway advertising manager, to paint the Grand Canyon in exchange for free transportation West. In 1907, he completed his Grand Canyon painting...
Category
Early 20th Century Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
The Noble Bull
By William Robinson Leigh
Located in Missouri, MO
William Robinson Leigh
"The Noble Bull"
Watercolor on Paper
Signed Lower Left
Site Size: 20 x 15 inches
Framed Size: approx. 33.5 inches x 27 inches
Born near Falling Waters, West Virginia on a plantation a year after the Civil War, and raised in Baltimore, William Leigh became one of the foremost painters of the American West with a career of seventy-five years. Some people referred to him as the "Sagebrush Rembrandt".
He was the son of impoverished Southern aristocrats and took his first art training at age 14 from Hugh Newell (1830-1915) at the Maryland Institute where he was regarded as one of the best students in his class. From 1883 to 1895, he studied in Europe, mainly at the Royal Academy in Munich with Ludwig Loefftz. From 1891 to 1896, he painted six cycloramas or murals in the round, a giant German panorama.
In 1896, he began working as a magazine illustrator in New York City for Scribner's and Collier's Weekly Magazine, and he also painted portraits, landscapes, and genre scenes. However, he was not a very successful artist in those years in New York.
Trips to the Southwest began in 1906 when he made an agreement with William Simpson, Santa Fe Railway advertising manager, to paint the Grand Canyon in exchange for free transportation West. In 1907, he completed his Grand Canyon painting...
Category
Early 20th Century American Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Paper
Related Items
Cardinal Bird Watercolor on Paper Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
412
Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan,
Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind
Medium: Watercolor on Paper
Year: 2025
Style: Classic Art
Title: Cardinal
Size: 12 x 16 inch,...
Category
2010s Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
H 12 in W 16 in D 0.1 in
Study of a Butterfly, Watercolour Silk applied Handmade Paper. La Roche Laffitte
By La Roche Laffitte
Located in Cotignac, FR
One from a set of four watercolours of butterflies on silk, applied to handmade paper, with hand cut edges, by French artist La Roche Laffitte. Signed bottom left. (The other 3 items are available separately)
A beautifully observed and detailed study of a butterfly painted...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Silk, Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper, Carbon Pencil
H 12.21 in W 15.95 in D 0.2 in
Study of a Butterfly, Watercolour on Silk Applied to Handmade Paper.
By La Roche Laffitte
Located in Cotignac, FR
One from a set of four watercolours of butterflies on silk, applied to handmade paper, with hand cut edges, by French artist La Roche Laffitte. (The other 3 items are available separately)
A beautifully observed and detailed study of a butterfly painted...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Silk, Watercolor, Handmade Paper, Carbon Pencil, Gouache
H 12.21 in W 15.95 in D 0.04 in
Study of a Butterfly, Watercolour on Silk Applied to Handmade Paper.
By La Roche Laffitte
Located in Cotignac, FR
One from a set of four watercolours of butterflies on silk, applied to handmade paper, with hand cut edges, by French artist La Roche Laffitte. Signed bottom right. (The other 3 items are available separately)
A beautifully observed and detailed study of a butterfly painted...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Silk, Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper, Carbon Pencil
H 12.21 in W 15.95 in D 0.04 in
"Head Em Home", Mid Century Cowboy on Horse Western Figurative Landscape
By Stanley M. Long
Located in Soquel, CA
Mid Century figurative landscape of a cowboy on his horse at sundown titled "Head Em Home" by Stanley M. Long (American, 1892-1972). Signed “Stanley M. Long” in bottom right corner. Displayed in a simple wood frame and off-white mat with glass. Image size: 22.75”H x 30.25”L. Frame is 1.5" deep.
Stanley M. Long was a watercolorist who was born in Oakland, CA on May 4, 1892. He spent his childhood on a ranch in Napa where he broke wild horses. He began sketching when quite young and at age 15 enrolled at the San Francisco Institute of Art. He continued at the California College of Arts and Crafts, where he was awarded a scholarship for further study at Académie Julian in Paris.
Long served in the camouflage corps in both world wars. Long taught art in San Francisco at Mission High School and for 17 years at Polytechnic High School. His western illustrations were featured in Sunset Magazine and the Los Angeles Times. Having worked with horses all his life, they were to become the main theme of his paintings.
Member: Society of Western Artists, Napa Valley Art...
Category
1950s American Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Paper
H 29 in W 37.25 in D 1 in
Study of a Butterfly, Watercolour on Silk Applied to Handmade Paper.
By La Roche Laffitte
Located in Cotignac, FR
One from a set of four watercolours of butterflies on silk, applied to handmade paper, with hand cut edges, by French artist La Roche Laffitte. Signed bottom right. (The other 3 items are available separately)
A beautifully observed and detailed study of a butterfly painted...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Silk, Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper, Carbon Pencil
H 12.21 in W 15.95 in D 0.2 in
Whimbrel #11 Speaking Out, Original Painting
By Emil Morhardt
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This whimbrel was trying to tell me something as he was leaving. Whimbrels don't talk a lot, so this image is amusingly unusual. He's painted in browns and gr...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor
Early 20th Century Spaniel Dog Portrait "Odin" after Edwin Landseer
Located in Soquel, CA
Substantial and period portrait of a beautiful spaniel done in charcoal signed "Lee" on verso, c.1913-1917. Although this is by an unknown artist it is an excellent example of Philadelphia Sketch Club quality drawing. Displayed in a distressed black vintage wood frame with mat. Image, 11"H x 13"W; frame dimensions 17"H x 19"W x 1"D. Phildelphia, PA. Gallery and Frame Makers label on verso. Based on the address and history we know the drawing to be 1913-1917.
Founded by Adolph and George Newman...
Category
1910s Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Charcoal, Gouache
H 17 in W 19 in D 1 in
Yellow Bird Akimbo, contemporary realist gouache miniature animal portrait
By Dina Brodsky
Located in New York, NY
Dina Brodsky's realist miniature gouache painting, Yellow Bird Akimbo, is kinetic and visceral. Clinging to diverging branches, the little yellow shock of a bird is caught betwixt an...
Category
2010s American Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Gouache, Paper
Robin Bird Watercolor on Paper Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
404
Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan,
Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind
Medium: Watercolor on Paper
Year: 2025
Style: Classic Art
Title: Robin
Size: 12 x 16 inch, (...
Category
2010s Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
H 12 in W 16 in D 0.1 in
Squabbling Penguins, contemporary realist animal watercolor on paper
By Dina Brodsky
Located in New York, NY
Brodsky pairs gouache and watercolor to achieve the luster of her subject's plumage. Each carefully defined feather shimmers with a prism of color. Her attention to detail is enliven...
Category
2010s American Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Paper, Gouache
Bronx Post Office Mural Study WPA Horse Social Realism Mid 20th Century Modern
By Jo Cain
Located in New York, NY
Bronx Post Office Mural Study WPA Horse Social Realism Mid 20th Century Modern
Jo Cain (1904 - 2003)
Couriers of History Bronx Post Office Mural Study
Horse in the Sun (with two ad...
Category
1930s American Realist William Robinson Leigh Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Ink, Gouache, Board
William Robinson Leigh drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic William Robinson Leigh drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by William Robinson Leigh in paint, paper, watercolor and more. Not every interior allows for large William Robinson Leigh drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 16 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Dina Brodsky, Margaret Sweet Johnson, and Joseph Piccillo.