1835 - 1918
Following the death of his father, Lemuel Wilmarth was raised in Boston, where he learned the trade of watchmaking. During the late 1850s, he attended night classes at Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In 1859 he left for Munich, studying at the Royal Academy for over three years. After several years back in the United States, he returned to Europe in 1864, working under Jean-Léon Gérome at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (the first American student of that master).
Settling in New York City in 1867, Wilmarth began to teach at the Brooklyn Academy of Design. In 1870, he was asked to head the Schools of the National Academy of Design, a position he retained until 1889. Wilmarth was crucial to the development of a structured curriculum at the Academy. Open to progressive ideas, he worked for a women's life class. When the Academy suspended classes in 1875, he helped form the alternative Art Students League in his own studio and served as its president for two years. His loyalty was to the Academy, however, as evidenced by his 1876 contribution to its mortgage retirement fund during this difficult period and his resignation from the League once the Academy Schools reopened.
When Wilmarth retired as Professor of the Academy Schools, he was replaced by Edgar M. Ward. Although he was elected to the Council in 1892, illness forced him to resign the following year. His paintings, fruit still lifes and meticulous genre scenes, became infrequent, and it appears that he all but ceased to paint.
Settling in New York City in 1867, Wilmarth began to teach at the Brooklyn Academy of Design. In 1870, he was asked to head the Schools of the National Academy of Design, a position he retained until 1889. Wilmarth was crucial to the development of a structured curriculum at the Academy. Open to progressive ideas, he worked for a women's life class. When the Academy suspended classes in 1875, he helped form the alternative Art Students League in his own studio and served as its president for two years. His loyalty was to the Academy, however, as evidenced by his 1876 contribution to its mortgage retirement fund during this difficult period and his resignation from the League once the Academy Schools reopened.
When Wilmarth retired as Professor of the Academy Schools, he was replaced by Edgar M. Ward. Although he was elected to the Council in 1892, illness forced him to resign the following year. His paintings, fruit still lifes and meticulous genre scenes, became infrequent, and it appears that he all but ceased to paint.
