The Formative Years and Artistic Training
Born in Northampton, United States, Robert Cutler Hinckley embarked on a significant artistic journey as a teenager when his parents took him to Paris for formal training. He spent twenty years in the city, eventually graduating from the École des Beaux-Arts. During his time in Paris, which spanned from 1864 to 1884, he studied under the master portraitist Charles Auguste Emile Durand.
His prolific career resulted in more than 350 paintings. Among his most notable works are:
Portraiture and Later Life
Following his return from Europe in 1884, Hinckley established a studio in Washington, D.C. He became recognized for his portraits of eminent Americans, including President Ulysses S. Grant and John Alsop King. His skill in portraiture was further recognized through his teaching, as he led a portrait class at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design for six years. Additionally, 88 of his portraits were displayed at West Point Military Academy.
Hinckley was married to Eleanor O'Donnell, and they were the parents of a son, Robert O'Donnell Hinckley, and a daughter, Gladys Hinckley. He passed away at his residence in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
