William J. Hennessy

1839-1917

Irish/American (New York, New York; London, England)

William John Hennessy was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, but soon joined his father John Hennessy in Canada whence he had fled from the British authorities following his involvement with the Young Ireland movement of 1848. Moving with his parents to New York, the young William Hennessy began drawing while still in his early teens, and at 15 attended the National Academy of Design to study fine art painting. In 1857, he first showed at the National Academy in New York (NA), to which he was elected as a full member in 1863.

Hennessy was a renowned landscape painter and a fine illustrator, receiving commissions to illustrate the works of American poets such as Tennyson, Longfellow and Whittier. In 1870, he moved to London, England, and in 1902 he became a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. After moving to London, Hennessy spent the summer months in Normandy, where he painted a number of rural-scenes and landscapes.

Artist profile image: William John Hennessy, 1860s. The Albert Ten Eyck Gardner Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art.

William J. Hennessy

Objects

Hennessy, William J. 1839-1917

Emigrant-Landing in New York

June 26, 1858