Near Old Floating Bridge, Lynn, Massachusetts, 1898

Charles Edwin Lewis Green (1844 - 1915)
Near Old Floating Bridge, Lynn, Massachusetts, 1898
Oil on canvas
18 x 24 inches
Signed and dated at lower right: C. E. L. Green 1898
Period frame


A native of Lynn, Massachusetts, Charles (C.E.L.) Green became an artist committed to painting American subject matter, especially the marine and landscape scenes of his native area. He often signed his paintings C.E.L. and was part of the seven "Lynn Beach Painters" that included his close friend, Charles Woodbury.
He began working in the local shoe and leather industry and used the money to take art classes. He and several others had adjoining studios in Lee Hall in the City Square of Lynn.

From the 1880s through 1910, he was a regular exhibitor at the Boston Art Club and also took lessons there. He was a plein-air painter, he completing his landscape and marine scenes outdoors with minimal over painting of colors.

In 1885, he moved to Boston where he and Charles Woodbury had adjoining studios on Green Street and committed themselves to making their living exclusively with their painting. They succeeded, and for several years, they were linked together as being non-European trained, stay-at-home artists with very similar impressionist styles and American subject matter. They prided themselves on avoiding European influence, but in the 1890s, their styles became increasingly impressionist from seeing European works in Boston exhibitions.

Green had his first one-man show in 1886 at the J Eastman Chase Gallery, one of Boston's most prestigious exhibition venues at that time. In 1906, Green moved from Boston to his hometown of Lynn where in 1909, he became one of the founders of the Lynn Art Club. He died on January 18, 1915, having been a major influence on succeeding generations of painters inspired to paint local marine scenes of the Boston area.