Gardner Symons Sold at Auction Prices

Landscape painter, b. 1861 - d. 1930

(b. Chicago, Illinois 27 October 1861; d. 1930). American painter. George Gardner Symons was born with the name George Gardner Simon. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. While there, he met fellow American Impressionist painter, William Wendt whom he remained friendly with throughout his life. In 1884, Symons made his first trip to California. He returned to California with Wendt in 1896 to build a studio just south of Laguna Beach. Between the years of 1902 and 1909, Symons continued to study art in Munich, Paris and London, finally settling in Brooklyn, New York in 1909. Nervous of the growing anti-Semitism around him, he changed his name from Simon to Symons. He continued to spend most of his time between New York City and his rural home in Colrain, Massachusetts, with visits to his studio in California. Famous for his landscapes, Symons became known for his paintings of snow scenes in New England and the rolling hills and orchards of California. Though he spent most of his time on the East coast, he was considered a member of the California School of American Impressionism because of his popular paintings of California. He was awarded the Carnegie Prize at the National Academy of Design in 1909 and the Evans Prize in 1910. In 1911 he was then elected into the National Academy. George Gardner Symons has permanent works held in Museums across the United States including, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Smithsonian Institute, and The Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.