Julian Onderdonk was born in San Antonio, Texas, to Robert Jenkins Onderdonk, a painter, and Emily Gould Onderdonk. He was raised in South Texas and was an enthusiastic sketcher and painter.

As a teenager Onderdonk was influenced and received some training from the prominent Texas artist Verner Moore White who also lived in San Antonio at the time. He attended the West Texas Military Academy, now the Episcopal School of Texas, graduating in 1900. His grandfather Henry Onderdonk was the Headmaster of Saint James School in Maryland, from which Julian’s father Robert graduated.

At 19, with the help of a generous neighbor, Julian left Texas in order to study with the renowned American Impressionist William Merritt Chase. Julian’s father, Robert, had also once studied with Chase. Julian spent the summer of 1901 on Long Island at Chase’s Shinnecock Hills Summer School of Art. He studied with Chase for a couple of years and then moved to New York City to attempt to make a living as an en plein air artist. While in New York he met and married Gertrude Shipman and they soon had a son.

Onderdonk returned to San Antonio in 1909, where he produced his best work. His most popular subjects were bluebonnet landscapes. Onderdonk died on October 27, 1922 in San Antonio.

President George W. Bush decorated the Oval Office with three of Onderdonk’s paintings. The Dallas Museum of Art has several rooms dedicated exclusively to Onderdonk’s work.

His art studio currently resides on the grounds of the Witte Museum.

Julian Onderdonk - Fall Landscape (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Field of Bluebonnets under Cloudy Sky (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Field of Bluebonnets (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Field of Texas Bluebonnets and Prickly Pear Cacti (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Field with Corn Shocks (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Foot of 52nd Street at Hudson Park (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Forest Stream (aka Headwaters of the Guadalupe) (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Golden Evening, SouthWest Texas (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - In the Hills of the Spanish Oaks (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Landscape 02 (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Landscape 03 (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Landscape 04 (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Landscape 05 (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Landscape with Coreopsis (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

Julian Onderdonk - Landscape with Wagon (art,paintings)

Julian Onderdonk: artist, painter - Collection of artworks, prints.

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