
Thomas Moran, in the latter part of the 1870s, working at the etching table in the Newark studio that served as his base during most of that decade. This was a period of growing popularity for the medium, and Moran acquired his own etching press at this time. After 1878, many of Moran’s major etchings were derived from his impressions of East Hampton. (Archival photo, East Hampton Library)

Thomas Moran (1837-1926) in a photo portrait, c. 1922. His palette, brushes and painting tools are in the collection of the East Hampton Library.

Thomas Moran. “Autumn on Peconic Bay” 1904. Oil on canvas, 20 x 30 inches. Private collection. An example of Moran’s East Hampton themes that emphasize dramatic skies, deep space and complex receding planes constructed with contrasting tonalities and a carefully planned distribution of light. A follower of the Romantic tradition, Moran believed in conveying the subjective spirit, or mood, of a site and composed his paintings in the studio.

In his East Hampton paintings, Thomas Moran often composed the work to emphasize the region’s flat character and vast, unbroken skies. This small, 8-inch by 8-inch tile is an unusual one-of-a-kind artifact that calls attention to Moran’s friendship with artists who were members of the Tile Club. His interest in making his first visit to East Hampton in 1878 developed from the Tile Club’s discussion of their excursion to Eastern Long Island that year.
August 7, 2013: Front facade of Thomas Moran’s 1884 studio-residence showing temporary bracing. Restoration of this facade will bring back the graceful, multi-columned front porch that Moran added in 1890. (See Post Card in Addendum.)

The large, 60 light sash bay window salvaged from a New York storefront is a distinctive feature of the east facade.

North facade. The two large windows were salvaged from a New York City commercial building. The use of architectural elements from the past was in vogue among Moran’s acquaintances during the early 1880s. Providing north light for an art studio is traditional.

The Studio interior view, looking north. The elaborately carved Federal Period fireplace mantle is one of the artifacts that Moran transported from New York.
Courtesy of New York Public Library Digital Collection.
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December 20, 2013: Moran Studio Restoration in Progress. Links below.
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Interior, looking towards the main staircase, and providing a view of newel posts, railing and balusters salvaged from New York residences. Two graceful Ionic pilasters support the balcony which served as a family sitting area.

The picturesque turret, one of the building’s distinctive features, was designed with built-in upholstered seating. It provides views of the pond, the Osborn garden, and the long narrow Moran garden running east to west.
Restoration Progress Photo — December 15, 2015. AAQ’s Portfolio / Preservation — Moran Studio Restoration Progress Photos
Front Door Detail — Restoration Progress Photo — July 2016
Front Porch Detail — Restoration Progress Photo — October 2016
Master Bedroom View of Town Pond — Restoration Progress Photo — November 2016
Restoration Progress Photo — August 2017
Restoration Progress Photo — September 2017
July, 2018
September 10, 2021
Studio Fireplace Mantel Detail — Restoration Progress Photo — November 2017
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Captions by Phyllis Braff. Photos by Jeff Heatley.
Photos # 1 – 4 taken at “Moran: A Family’s Celebration of Home and Place” Exhibit
Charles Keller and Glenn Purcell, Curators, Clinton Academy, East Hampton, Summer, 2012
Visit: Thomas Moran Trust for more information — www.thomasmorantrust.org
Visit AAQ’s Portfolio / Preservation Section for Monthly Restoration Albums, 2013 – 2017.
Visit: AAQ Thomas Moran Studio Restoration Highlights, 2013 – 2017.
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AAQ Portfolio / Art: Thomas & Mary Nimmo Moran’s Etchings & Sketches — aaqeastend.com/contents/thomas-mary-morans-local-etchings-sketches/
BREAKING NEWS — AAQ’s Portfolio / Preservation Album: 1884 Message Signed by Thomas Moran Found at Site / September 9, 2013 — aaqeastend.com/contents/breaking-news-1884-document-signed-by-thomas-moran-discovered-at-site/
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Visit AAQ’s Portfolio / Preservation: Moran’s Boat House and also Bath House Albums.
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ADDENDUM
Portrait of Thomas Moran by Howard Russell Butler. Image courtesy of The Long Island Collection at the East Hampton Library.
Post card of Thomas Moran house, showing front porch. Post card courtesy of The Long Island Collection at the East Hampton Library.
Thomas Moran, America’s great scenic artist, sketching at Bright Angel Cove, Grand Canyon
Courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Collection.
Courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Collection.
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