Samuel Bell Waugh

Place: New Wilmington

Born: 1814

Death: 1885

Biography:

Samuel Bell Waugh was an American painter known for his portrait, landscape and moving panorama paintings. He was born on 1814 in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, United States of America. His father James Waugh was a pioneer-settler who ran the first general store in New Wilmington. Little is known about Samuel's early life and education but it is suggested that he worked in a paint shop in Pittsburgh and took painting lessons from J. R. Smith, an artist at the Pittsburgh Theater. He joined his brother John in Toronto in 1833 where they operated the Theatre Royal together. In 1834, Samuel displayed his paintings at the exhibition of the Society of Artists and Amateurs of Toronto which were judged as "among the very best portraits". After moving to Montreal he became friends with James Bowman, another American painter from Mercer County. He went on a trip to Rome in 1836 or early 1837 where he stayed until 1841 or 1842. His portrait of the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen is one of his most famous works. Samuel Bell Waugh passed away on September 28, 1885 in Janesville, Wisconsin.