The marriage of James Hope to Julia M. Smith in West Rutland was announced in The Rutland Herald on this day in 1841.

During the ceremony the day before, little did either of them know that the groom was an artist. Hope was a wagon-maker, but seriously injured his ankle cutting firewood and couldn’t work.

While recuperating, Hope found he enjoyed doing portraits. It was when he tackled his first landscape, however, that Hope knew he’d found his calling.

For the rest of his life he worked as an artist and taught. Hope lived in Castleton for many years, maintained a studio there, and taught at Castleton Seminary.

Historic image courtesy Vermont Historical Society, from “The Hope Paintings” by Larry Freeeman