# Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/arthur-fitzwilliam-tait/
Profile generated: 2026-05-09T13:25:19.246Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1819-08-05
- Death date: 1905-04-28
- Nationality: British, American
- Movements: Hudson River School (associated period and landscape tradition)
- Common media: oil on canvas, lithograph

## About Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait

Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819–1905) was a British-American painter best known for vivid depictions of North American wildlife, hunting scenes, and outdoor life in the Adirondack Mountains. Born in Liverpool, England, Tait emigrated to the United States in 1850 and spent most of his career in New York City, where he became a prominent figure in the 19th-century American art world. His paintings of deer, game birds, sporting dogs, and wilderness landscapes made him one of the most popular sporting artists of his era. Several of his compositions were reproduced as lithographs by Currier & Ives, bringing his work to a broad national audience. Tait exhibited regularly at the National Academy of Design, to which he was elected a full member. His 497 recorded auction appearances reflect sustained collector interest across more than a century.

## Common works and media

Original oil-on-canvas paintings of deer, game birds, hunting dogs, and Adirondack wilderness scenes are the most frequently encountered works at auction. Tait also produced still-life compositions of dead game and fish. Lithographic prints—especially those published by Currier & Ives, such as the American Hunting Scenes series—are widely held by collectors and institutions. Smaller cabinet-size paintings and studies appear alongside larger exhibition-scale canvases.

## Market and appraisal context

Tait's auction market centers on original oil paintings of wildlife and Adirondack hunting subjects, which represent the strongest collector demand. Lithographic prints issued by Currier & Ives and other publishers are far more common and trade at lower price levels. Valuation depends heavily on medium, subject, size, condition, and documented provenance. Works with clear attribution, exhibition records, or publication by Currier & Ives may carry a premium. Collectors should verify whether a work is an original oil or a reproductive print, as this distinction materially affects value.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from authority files and museum sources with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. Biographical data is sourced from the Getty Union List of Artist Names, VIAF, RKD, and the Library of Congress.

## Sources

- RKD: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/76395
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8205641
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/77680859/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500023688
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Fitzwilliam_Tait
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82277037