Ernest Tower Rosen (1877–1926) — American Artist — *the Sweet Hour*, Circa 1910, Oil On Canvas

Born in Berlin on March 8, 1877, Ernest Tower Rosen was an American painter whose career was divided mainly between New York and Paris. After initially studying under William Merritt Chase at the New York School of Art, he continued his studies at the Académie Julian, where he was a student of Jean-Paul Laurens and Benjamin Constant.

Having settled in Paris by the end of the 19th century, Rosen quickly became part of the French art scene. He exhibited regularly at the Salon of the Société nationale des Beaux-Arts, where his participation is documented in 1897, 1899, 1901, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1909, 1911, and 1913. This loyalty to the Salon for more than fifteen years attests to the recognition he enjoyed within Parisian artistic circles.

In December 1904, he also participated in an exhibition organized by the Berthe Weill Gallery, alongside artists such as Galanis, Léandre, and Ricardo-Florès, where he presented several studies and female figures.

His work focused primarily on portraits, nudes, and interior scenes. It is distinguished by a refined palette, a supple brushstroke, and a marked preference for the effects of artificial light. His intimate compositions, populated by elegant figures set against meticulously rendered backdrops, capture the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the Belle Époque while revealing the influence of William Merritt Chase, Whistler, and turn-of-the-century Parisian painting.

Rosen also played an active role in Franco-American artistic relations. In 1919, he was appointed secretary-general of the American committee responsible for organizing the exhibition of American art presented at the Musée du Luxembourg in Paris. In January 1920, he signed a letter of protest on behalf of the committee denouncing the exclusion of several modernist artists from the exhibition.

Although born in Germany, Ernest Tower Rosen is generally considered an American artist, due to his training, his career, and his involvement with American art institutions. He died in Neuilly-sur-Seine in 1926, leaving behind a rare body of work, appreciated for its elegance, its intimate atmosphere, and the subtlety of its color harmonies.