John Costigan
(1888-1972)

John Costigan, born in 1888, was a largely self-taught "pastoralist", painting scenes of everyday life on rural farms of upstate New York. He also worked as a sketch artist for H. Miner Lithography Company for 22 years. Costigan started out painting with the palette-knife. His later work was executed by loading the brush with paint and placing short dabs of color onto the canvas. From a distance, all variations on the surface blend together, giving an Impressionistic feel.

He was well known for the unity of his subject matter, painting texture, and the emotions his subject matter evoked. His paintings often reflected the joys of motherhood and idyllic country living. 

In 1968 a 50-year Costigan retrospective was exhibited and toured by the Smithsonian Institute.

Costigan died of pneumonia in 1972, having painted for more than fifty years of his life.


Would you like to know more about this artist?
Click here to view our extended John Costigan biography.