Martin Johnson Heade was an American romantic painter who worked throughout the 19th century. Like many American artists before World War II, Heade studied painting in Europe before settling back in America, where he settled in Florida. A tangential member of the Hudson River School, he is best known for landscapes that show the vastness of the beach and sea, and floral still lifes. Heade did not see success or recognition in his lifetime, but became a lauded artist after his death.