Edwin Lord Weeks

Edwin Lord Weeks (1849 – November 1903) was an american artist, noted for his Orientalist paintings. He left an indelible mark on the art world with his captivating works. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, weeks' life was a testament to his family’s affluence, which enabled him to pursue his passion for painting and traveling. ## Early Years and Artistic Development Weeks visited florida keys to draw, further solidifying his artistic foundation. His earliest known paintings date from 1867, when he was eighteen years old. Notably, it wasn't until his *Landscape with Blue Heron*, dated 1871 and painted in the everglades, that weeks began to exhibit a dexterity of technique and eye for composition—presumably having taken professional tuition. ## Parisian Sojourn and Orientalist Subjects Weeks relocated to paris, becoming a pupil of léon bonnat and jean-léon gérôme. This marked the beginning of his emergence as one of america's major painters of orientalist subjects. Throughout his adult life, he was an inveterate traveler, journeying to south america (1869), egypt and persia (1870), morocco (frequently between 1872 and 1878), and india (1882–83). He was admitted to the atelier of Jean-Leon Gerome at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Weeks, like Gerome, was interested in Oriental subject matter, and as a student traveled to North Africa, Spain, and the Middle East. ## Notable Works and Publications Some of weeks' most notable works include:

• A Maratha
• Maratha King of Gwalior at His Palace
• An Open-Air Restaurant Near Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore
• Royal Elephant at the Gateway to the Jama Masjid, Mathura

In 1895, weeks wrote and illustrated a book of travels, From the Black Sea Through Persia and India, followed by Episodes of Mountaineering in 1897. ## Achievements and Legacy Weeks earned numerous accolades, including a medal of honor in 1884, a third class medal in 1889, a gold medal at the 1889 international exhibition, and the legion of honor in 1896. He was also a member of the légion d'honneur, france, an officer of the order of saint michael (bavaria), and a member of the munich secession. Weeks’s visual accounts of India show attention to detail, expert use of light and shadow, and convey a sense of immediacy.