Thomas Le Clear (17 March 1818, Owego, New York - 26 November 1882, Rutherford Park, New Jersey), American painter. Self taught, he sold his first paintings - copies of a painting of Saint Matthew - at the age of age of twelve. When he was 14, his family moved to Ontario, Canada, and only a few years later he set out as an itinerant portrait artist and decorative painter, traveling in upstate New York and as far west as Green Bay, Wisconsin. In 1839 he moved to New York City, "an almost penniless stranger," but managed to open a studio. He reportedly studied for several years with Henry Inman, and by 1845 he had begun exhibiting at the National Academy of Design. Two years later he moved to Buffalo, New York and quickly became an important member of the city's Arts community, acquiring many wealthy local patrons. A founding member of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, he served on its board for many years. In the early 1860s, though, he returned to New York City, where he was elected to full membership of the National Academy of Design in 1863. It appears that he was considered one of the most prominent portrait painters on the East Coast. In addition to portraits, he also produced a substantial number of genre paintings. He died in New Jersey at the age of 64. (http://godsandfoolishgrandeur.blogspot.nl/2016/11/painting-confronts-photography-1865.html) undefined

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