Born on the prairie of Kansas in 1869 and orphaned in childhood, Perrine’s early life was derived of being a vagabond, cowboy and plasterer riding the rails of the west in search of a better life. Determined to become an artist, in 1893 he moved to New York and studied at the Cooper Institute and the National Academy of Design.
In 1902 he moved to the foot of the Palisades, where he lived until 1922, making that landscape his focus and subject matter. Perrine lived the life of a hermit, finding the immensity of the Palisades his fortress and his inspiration.
After marrying in 1911, he became more interested in theories of color and light and how light can distort the known subject matter. He began to paint brightly flecked canvases of children playing amidst flowers and trees, reflecting the growth of his family. In 1931 he became an Associate of the National Academy.
Perrine, later in life, dedicated much of his time to teaching children to draw, documenting his experience and a collection of his students work in “Let The Children Draw”.
Perrine died in 1955, New Canaan Connecticut, in general obscurity.
The website has been created by the Perrine Family Estate in an effort to reconnect the world to the works of a great American Landscape Impressionist with the desire to help reestablish his recognition as a prominent figure in the art world.
The Perrine Family estate welcomes all inquires regarding the collection, use and reproduction of Van’s works, requests for purchase of existing family owned pieces.
We are also very interested in establishing a repository of personal or gallery owned examples of his work in an effort to catalog all existing examples of his work and share this information with the world via our Facebook page or the Family Estate contained with in this website.
We hope you enjoy the collection and welcome any and all comments and information.