Lot 249A: Morston Constantine Ream (1840-1898) stillife

Morston Constantine Ream (1840-1898) stillife. measures 7" x 10.75", Still life painter, Morston Constantine Ream often depicted fruit and dessert in his paintings. He was born in Lancaster, Ohio. The artist began learning daguerreotyping when he was twenty and worked as a photographer's apprentice in Cleveland. He eventually gave this up, as it bothered his health, and moved to New York in 1868 to study painting. His paintings were exhibited in 1870 by James F. Ryder. He was the younger brother of Carducius Plantagenet Ream, who was also well known for his still lifes and encouraged Morston to seriously start painting. In addition to still lifes Morston produced landscapes and genre paintings. Morston had various studios on Union Square, and exhibited still lifes at Moore's Art Rooms in the 1870s-80s. He exhibited at the National Academy, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, and the Brooklyn Art Association. Source: Peter Falk, "Who Was Who in American Art"