Alvan Clark

Alvan Clark was an American artist and astronomer born on March 8, 1804, in Ashfield, Massachusetts, and he passed away on August 19, 1887, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Initially trained as a portrait painter, Clark's artistic career was overshadowed by his significant contributions to the field of astronomy, particularly in the crafting of high-quality telescopic lenses. Although not associated with a specific art movement, his meticulous attention to detail in both his paintings and lens-making reflects the precision and craftsmanship valued in 19th-century American art and science. Clark's impact is most notably recognized in the realm of astronomy, where his lenses were used in some of the largest telescopes of the era, including the 18.5-inch refractor at the Dearborn Observatory and the 26-inch refractor at the United States Naval Observatory. His work in lens-making, alongside his sons, established the firm Alvan Clark & Sons as a leading manufacturer of astronomical instruments in the 19th century.