NEW YORK, NY.- Rehs Galleries announce the launch of the Daniel Ridgway Knight Online Catalogue Raisonné - www.ridgwayknight.org, a comprehensive and continuously updated digital resource dedicated to the life and works of the celebrated 19th-century American artist.

This scholarly project is being led by Howard L. Rehs, art historian and owner of Rehs Galleries. After completing his degree in art history from NYU in 1981, Rehs immersed himself in the British Victorian art market. He spent his first year living in England, learning how to examine and acquire works for the gallery's collection. Over time, he developed a profound appreciation for French 19th-century academic artists. Rehs's expertise and dedication to the art world have solidified his reputation as a knowledgeable and respected dealer, making him an invaluable resource in furthering our appreciation and understanding of European academic art.

Dr. Janet Whitmore, an art historian and adjunct professor in the Art + Design Department at Ohio University, is collaborating with Rehs on the project. She holds a Ph.D. in art history and has made significant contributions to the field through both teaching and research. This will be their second scholarly work together; their first was the publication of the catalogue raisonné for French painter Julien Dupré.

The Beginning

Back in 1991, while researching the life of the French artist Julien Dupré for his catalogue raisonné (www.juliendupre.org), Rehs noticed a great deal of information about another artist he was familiar with - Daniel Ridgway Knight. According to Rehs, “As I was searching through the archives at Knoedler, I kept noting works by Dupré and Knight that they sold; two artists whose works we were acquiring and selling. Their prices were on the rise, and I felt it was important to have as much information about them as possible.” Now, more than 30 years later, the Ridgway Knight project is live.

The Legacy

Daniel Ridgway Knight (1839–1924) was an American expatriate painter renowned for his idyllic scenes of rural life in France. After training at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and later studying in Paris under Charles Gleyre, Knight became widely celebrated for his intimate depictions of peasant women set against the lush landscapes of the French countryside. His masterful use of light, meticulous detail, and romanticized realism earned him international acclaim, with works exhibited at the Paris Salon and honored with prestigious awards, including the Legion of Honor.

Today, many of his works are in museums throughout the United States including the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Brooklyn Museum, the Haggin Museum, the Gilcrease Museum, the Bruce Museum, the High Museum of Art, the Chrysler Museum of Art, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Canton Museum of Art, the Addison Gallery of American Art, the Currier Museum of Art, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Drexel Museum Collection, and others.

The Initiative

The Daniel Ridgway Knight Online Catalogue Raisonné will serve as the definitive reference for scholars, collectors, and institutions, providing researched documentation of Knight’s extensive body of work. Unlike traditional print catalogues raisonnés, this online platform will allow for continuous updates as new information, discoveries, and authentication efforts emerge.

“The online format of this catalogue allows for ongoing research and the incorporation of newly discovered works,” said Howard L. Rehs. “We invite collectors and institutions worldwide to contribute their findings and help expand the understanding of Knight’s legacy.”

The Daniel Ridgway Knight Online Catalogue Raisonné is a standalone website, where scholars, collectors, and the general public will have open access to research, images, provenance records, and expert analysis. The catalogue will be updated regularly as new works are verified and new scholarship emerges.

Call for Submissions

Rehs Galleries and Dr. Whitmore encourage owners of Daniel Ridgway Knight paintings to use the Authentication page to submit images and provenance information for inclusion in the catalogue raisonné.