1840-1901
Although John Witt had a long career in New York and was a regular contributor to Academy Annuals, apparently little was known about him by his colleagues. The only fact mentioned in his NAD Minutes obituary was that he had studied in Cincinnati OH. Witt was a pupil of Joseph Oriel Eaton there at the age of 18. He is known to have painted portraits in Columbus OH by 1862 and in Washington, D.C. in 1873, but he appears to have remained based in Columbus until 1878, when he opened his New York studio. He had at least two students, Ohio artists Silas Martin and Phil Clover. In addition to portraits, his work included landscapes and genre scenes.
