George DeForest Brush was born in 1855 and studied at the National Academy of Design from 1870-74. He traveled to Paris to finish his education at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1874-80. Brush painted largely in an academic manner due to the influence of his European training. When he returned to America, Brush traveled out West for five years, living with Native American Indians in their villages throughout Wyoming. He produced romanticized, domestic views of this life for Harper's and Century magazine. However, these themes were not very popular with the public. Brush went to Florence in 1890 and focused on the Renaissance theme of mother and child that he is best known for. Every year from 1898-1917, he returned to visit Florence. Brush had two major exhibitions in NYC in the 1930s and taught at the Art Student League on and off for years. He later moved to New Hampshire but unfortunately a fire destroyed his studio in 1937, brining to an end Brush's artistic endeavors. He died in 1941.

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