William Edward Norton

Artist: Norton, William Edward

William Edward Norton
William Edward Norton

William Edward Norton (1843 – 1912) was an American painter, born to a family of Bostonian shipbuilders. Norton became a noted marine painter, stirred by his youth when he sailed on family-owned ships. After his sea service as a young man, he enrolled at both Harvard Medical School and the Lowell Institute. At Lowell, Norton developed a strong interest in art and began studying with George Inness, whose own poetic style deeply influenced the young artist. He then established a studio in Boston.

In the early 1870s, he went to Paris and became a student with Chevreuse and A. Vollon, and then he settled in London where he exhibited throughout the last quarter of the 19th century. His reputation there was based on his scenes of the Thames River, and ocean and coastal views.

In 1901, he and his wife returned to the United States and settled in New York City. He also painted at Monhegan Island, Maine, where a treacherous ledge on the southern side of the island is named “Norton’s Ledge” for him.

He was a member of the Boston Art Club with whom he exhibited from 1873 to 1909. He also exhibited with the Pennsylvania Academy, the Royal Academy in London, the Paris Salon, the 1893 Chicago Exposition, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Not much else is known about this artist.

William Norton painted mostly in the USA, but did manage to travel a bit in Europe. Here are the places he painted in Normandy (a link “” to his works will appear below when published):

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