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The 6 Most Famous Robert Crannell Minor Paintings, a Gallery Selection
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 6 works by Robert Crannell Minor in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Robert Crannell Minor left, the most famous is October (1871), in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.. Close behind it come Scene in Devonshire (1885) and Scene in the Forest of Fontainebleau (1885). Our catalog holds 6 works by Robert Crannell Minor; the gallery has kept the 6 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
1839 – 1904, New York City
Most works: Smithsonian American Art Museum
Robert Crannell Minor's top 10 paintings: the gallery's choice
The museums that keep Robert Crannell Minor's originals
The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Robert Crannell Minor | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Smithsonian American Art Museum |
Washington, D.C. | 3 | October, A Hillside Pasture, Great Silas at Night |
 Yale University Art Gallery |
New Haven | 3 | Scene in Devonshire, Scene in the Forest of Fontainebleau, River at Sunset |
Robert Crannell Minor decade by decade: the original that defines each
Works per decade
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Collectors' questions about Robert Crannell Minor's paintings
Which work is Robert Crannell Minor most famous for?Reveal the answer
October (1871), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.. Scene in Devonshire (1885) and Scene in the Forest of Fontainebleau (1885) come next.
What age was Robert Crannell Minor when October was made?Reveal the answer
32 years old: October dates from 1871, and Robert Crannell Minor was born in 1839.
How many paintings did Robert Crannell Minor leave?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 6 works by Robert Crannell Minor, dated from 1871 to 1892.
In which museums do Robert Crannell Minor's masterpieces hang?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C.) and Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven). The museum table above lists them all.
In which years did Robert Crannell Minor paint the most famous works?Reveal the answer
In 1880s: 3 of the 6 works on this page were made then, Scene in Devonshire among them.
What are the first and the last famous originals of Robert Crannell Minor?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is October (1871) and the latest A Hillside Pasture (1892).
Which Robert Crannell Minor works hang at the Smithsonian American Art Museum?Reveal the answer
October, A Hillside Pasture and Great Silas at Night: the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. holds 3 of the works on this page.
Robert Crannell Minor: life and work
The Artistic Journey of Robert Crannell Minor
Born in New York City, Robert Crannell Minor began his professional life working as a bookkeeper before dedicating himself to the study of art in his early thirties. His formal education began in New York under Alfred Cornelius Howland, but his pursuit of mastery eventually led him across the Atlantic. In 1871, Minor traveled to Europe, where he studied in Barbizon, France, under Diaz. His education continued in Antwerp, where he studied under Joseph Van Luppen and Hippolyte Boulenger, eventually serving as the vice president of the Société artistique et littéraire of Antwerp in 1874.
Upon returning to the United States, Minor established a studio in New York, later painting from the Old University Building of New York University. His work is characterized by the Barbizon school and Tonalism, with a particular focus on sunset and twilight effects. His notable works include:
Legacy and Recognition
Minor achieved significant professional acclaim, being elected a member of the National Academy of Design in 1897. His success reached a peak during the William T. Evans sale in 1900, where his painting The Close of Day fetched $3,050, the highest price for a landscape by a living American painter at that auction. He was a member of the Society of American Artists and the Salmagundi Club, exhibiting his work in New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, and the Royal Academy of London, as well as the salons of Paris and Antwerp.
His paintings are held in various collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Yale University Art Gallery, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Newark Museum, among others. He died at his home in Waterford, Connecticut, on August 4, 1904.