Known today as one of Deerfield’s most important resident 19th-century artists, Champney split his time between the New England town and New York City. In 1879, he opened a studio in New York, first at 337 Fourth Avenue and then later moving to 96 Fifth Avenue (near Union Square). While Deerfield served as a space to engage with 18th-century material culture and the colonial past, New York offered Champney greater exhibition opportunities. When working in the city, he immersed himself in numerous art clubs, societies, and associations.
