(1896-1969) An ardent conservationist, Aiden Lassell Ripley was known for his sporting and wildlife scenes. Born in Wakefield, Massachusetts, he became an accomplished musician while still a boy. Although he contemplated a career in music, he enrolled in the Fenway School of Illustration, studying there until he joined the army at the start of World War I. Upon his return he studied at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School under Philip Hale and Frank Benson. In 1924 Ripley was awarded a fellowship enabling him to travel for two years in France, Holland, and North Africa, where he began to experiment with watercolors and plein-air painting. After his return to Boston in 1926, Ripley traveled the East Coast painting landscapes and occasional commissions for historical mural paintings. In the 1930s he settled in Lexington, Massachusetts, where he remained until his death. His work was widely exhibited, appearing in shows at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the National Academy of Design, the New York Water Color Society, and the Metropolitan Museum, among others. He received many prizes and awards during his career, and today his work is found in many prominent American museums.

Biography courtesy of Roger King Gallery of Fine Art, www.antiquesandfineart.com/rking

Aiden L. Ripley studied for one year at the Fenway School of Illustration in 1917 but left to join the Army when WWI began. Upon returning, he attending the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School to study with Philip Hale and F. Benson from 1919-24. There he was quite influenced by the Boston School, of which Edmund Tarbell was associated with. In his final year of school he received the Paige Traveling Fellowship. He spent two years abroad in France, Holland and Northern Africa. Ripley was known for his watercolors of New England, sporting scenes and outdoor life. The spontaneity in brushwork and light colors reveal a move away from tradition academicism. He occasionally received commissions and produced a series of fourteen murals based on the life of Paul Revere for the Paul Revere Insurance Company. In the mid 1930s, Ripley settled in Lexington MA. He continued to paint until old age and worked to preserve wildlife and endangered species.

Biography courtesy of The Caldwell Gallery, www.antiquesandfineart.com/caldwell