Emil von Bott (American 1824 - 1908)

Born in Wuerttemberg, Germany, Emil Bott has long been regarded as one of Pittsburgh's most important artists of the mid-1800s. He and his father came to the United States in 1848 as members of the Harmonist religious movement (New Philadelphia Society). Bott was teaching at a private school in New Brighton where he met Emma Bocking and whom he married circa 1850. After his marriage they lived in Phillipsburg Borough (now Monaca), Beaver County. Shortly after that, Bott returned to Germany to study art at the Düsseldorf Academy. After his return from abroad, circa 1853, they lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, until 1859, when they moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During the Civil War Bott was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant, Feb. 5, 1862, in the First W. Va. Light Artillery, under Captain Philip Daum. A number of his pencil drawings appeared in a number of Civil War History Books-- Leslie's Illustrated Famous Leaders and Battle Scenes of the Civil War and in "Harper's Weekly." In 1865 Bott moved to Lawrenceville, east of Pittsburgh on the Allegheny River; however, he had only served for a few months during the Civil War, so where was he and what was he doing during the years circa 1863-64? We do not know. It was around this time that Bott began travelling the Ohio and Mississippi rivers on packets and steamboats, decorating them with his art. He may have returned to Dusseldorf for a time circa 1873, but it is believed that by circa 1880 he was in Phillipsburg. During 1880 and circa 1899 Bott was living in Canton, Ohio (possibly with his daughter), working as a portrait painter and as an artist for the Diebold Safe Works Company. By 1891 Bott had fallen on hard times and when he applied to the Federal Government for his Civil War pension; he was denied because he was unable to supply adequate proof that he had served at least 90 days and was denied. His wife, Emma, had died in 1899 and he may have returned to Phillipsburg, but he was living in Canton in 1906. That same year he had moved into the Beaver County Home (the "poor house") where he died two years later. The Upper Beaver River appears to have been one of Bott's favorite subjects, as were steamboats and landscapes painted in the romantic Düsseldorf manner in which he was trained and the, de rigueur landscape style of the mid-1800s. A writer for the Pittsburgh Daily Pittsburgh Gazette wrote in the October 13, 1851 edition that "Emil Bott, exhibited a moonlight scene, which struck us as being very beautiful, and one of the best paintings of the kind we have ever seen." He exhibited at the first show of the Pittsburgh Art Association in 1859. Bott's paintings are rare finds and Bedford Fine Art Gallery is honored to have two Emil Bott's to offer for sale. In addition to offering the artwork below for sale, Bedford Fine Art Gallery is also actively seeking to purchase artwork by Emil von Bott. Contact Us

In addition to offering the artwork below for sale, Bedford Fine Art Gallery is also actively seeking to purchase artwork by Emil von Bott. Contact Us