Samuel Colman (1832-1920) was an American designer, painter and writer, best known for his paintings of the Hudson River. A son of a bookstore owner in19th century New York, he may have been influenced by the artistic clientele from his early days to delve into the world of Arts. He attended Hudson River School under the guidance of his teacher, Asher Durand. He was one of the founding members and the first president of The American Watercolor Society, and also an avid traveler, exploring France, Spain and the Mediterranean. His travels inspired his works of beautiful foreign landscapes.