Ralph Albert Blakelock

Ralph Albert Blakelock (1847–1919) was an American self-taught painter celebrated for his deeply atmospheric and poetic landscapes, particularly his moonlit nocturnal scenes featuring Native American encampments and wilderness settings. Despite achieving significant posthumous fame and high auction prices, Blakelock lived much of his life in poverty and spent years confined to a psychiatric institution, his work largely unrecognized during his lifetime. His richly layered, jewel-toned canvases have commanded major sums at auction houses including Christie's and Sotheby's, cementing his legacy as a visionary American master.