A little-known artist of the 19th century, Frank Waller was born June 12, 1842 in New York City. He was a painter, educator, and etcher who lived in Morristown, New Jersey during the latter part of his life.

At 15 years of age, Waller studied drawing at the Free Academy of the City of New York, now known as the City College of New York, which he attended until 1861. Waller originally started his professional career as a businessman in New York. He honed his art skills by drawing with pen and ink and painting with oil during his free time. Wallers paintings were first exhibited at the National Academy of Design in 1870. Later that same year, Waller studied art with John Gadsby Chapman in Rome and traveled to Egypt with friend and fellow artist Edwin White. Waller also studied at the National Academy of Design with Lemuel Wilmartch.

Waller became one of the founders of the Art Students League of New York in 1875. He served as its first president, as treasurer in 1876, as corresponding secretary in 1879, and took a second term as president in 1881. In 1878, Waller traveled to Europe for a second time to prepare for his book Report on Art Schools. Waller exhibited at the Brooklyn Art Association from 1873 until 1884, and at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1879 until 1884. He continued to exhibit his paintings at the National Academy until 1887.

Waller then abandoned painting and became an architect. He joined the Architectural League of New York and was an honorary secretary of the Egypt Exploration Society. Waller also traveled to such places such as upstate New York, New Hampshire, and Bermuda. Late in Wallers life, he bought a house in Morristown, New Jersey, which became the basis of much of his Impressionistic art. Waller died in Morristown in 1923.(1)

(Alicia Beich, Spring 2006)

(1) Schwarz Gallery, Philadelphia (see link below).