James Ryder Van Brunt (1820-1916) was an American artist and Brooklyn native. Born on his family farm in old Gowanus, land that is now part of Green-Wood Cemetery, Van Brunt was of Dutch heritage, his ancestors having settled in the area as early as the seventeenth century. Van Brunt took inspiration from the Dutch heritage of the region, specializing in watercolors of local farmhouses and churches. The work pictured above, Peacock in an Architectural Setting, demonstrates Van Brunt’s artistic skill, even when working outside of his usual subject matter. Click the image to expand.