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The 15 Most Famous Francis Devlan Paintings, Each One of a Kind
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 15 works by Francis Devlan in our catalogue
In short
End of the Day (1857) is the Francis Devlan painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Reading Public Museum, Reading. After it, the eye goes to Study in Rocks (1861) and Gibraltar Furnace - Seyfert's Mill (1868). Among the 15 works of Francis Devlan in our catalog, these 15 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
1835 – 1870, Paterson
Most works: Reading Public Museum
Top 10 paintings by Francis Devlan, through the gallery's eye
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Francis Devlan's famous paintings, numbers 11 to 15
The museums that keep Francis Devlan's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Francis Devlan | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Reading Public Museum |
Reading | 15 | End of the Day, Study in Rocks, Gibraltar Furnace - Seyfert's Mill |
Francis Devlan across the years: the unique originals of each
12 years separate Francis Devlan's first and last dated originals shown here, 1857 and 1868: each year has its place below.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
Francis Devlan's paintings: questions for the gallery
What is the single most famous work of Francis Devlan?Reveal the answer
End of the Day (1857), Reading Public Museum, Reading. Study in Rocks (1861) and Gibraltar Furnace - Seyfert's Mill (1868) come next.
At what age did Francis Devlan create End of the Day?Reveal the answer
22 years old: End of the Day dates from 1857, and Francis Devlan was born in 1835.
Which ten paintings by Francis Devlan are the most famous?Reveal the answer
End of the Day, Study in Rocks, Gibraltar Furnace - Seyfert's Mill, Seyfert's Forge, Gibraltar, Summer, Landscape Study - Autumnal, Landscape Study, Landscape, Cattle (White Bull) and Cows in Pasture. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
How many works by Francis Devlan are known?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 15 works by Francis Devlan, dated from 1857 to 1868.
Where can the most famous Francis Devlan originals be seen?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Reading Public Museum (Reading). The museum table above lists them all.
During which period did Francis Devlan create the best-known paintings?Reveal the answer
In 1864: 3 of the 15 works on this page were made then, Landscape Study - Autumnal among them.
Which famous Francis Devlan painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is End of the Day (1857) and the latest Gibraltar Furnace - Seyfert's Mill (1868).
What Francis Devlan originals can I see at the Reading Public Museum?Reveal the answer
End of the Day, Study in Rocks and Gibraltar Furnace - Seyfert's Mill: the Reading Public Museum, Reading holds 15 of the works on this page.
Francis Devlan: a portrait of the artist
A Life in Landscape
Francis Devlan was an American painter who lived a relatively brief life, passing away in 1870. His work focused heavily on the natural world, capturing the quiet details of the land and the animals that inhabited it. Though his time was short, his presence in the mid-19th century art scene is felt through the surviving pieces that remain in public collections.
His hands were often busy with oil on canvas, a medium that allowed him to build texture and depth in his depictions of the earth. He had a particular interest in the ruggedness of the terrain, as seen in his 1855 work, a rocky landscape. This piece shows an early interest in the structural elements of nature, focusing on the physical presence of stone and earth.
The Quiet Subjects
Devlan’s brushwork often turned toward the living creatures that moved through these landscapes. He had a way of grounding his scenes with a sense of stillness. One of his notable subjects was a white bull, a piece titled Cattle (White Bull), which is held in the collection of the Reading Public Museum. This work, alongside his other landscape paintings, remains a part of the legacy associated with his style of painting.
His compositions often included:
- The heavy, solid forms of livestock.
- The textured surfaces of rocky terrain.
- The expansive, open qualities of the American landscape.
His paintings are held in places like the Reading Public Museum, where they offer a glimpse into the visual language of the 1860s. These works provide a window into how the American landscape was perceived during his lifetime, focusing on the tangible reality of the environment rather than the abstract.