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William Langson Lathrop was a prominent American Impressionist landscape painter celebrated for his pivotal role in shaping the New Hope art colony in Pennsylvania and advancing Pennsylvania Impressionism. Born in 1859 in Painesville, Ohio, Lathrop got his start as an artist in the late 1870s in New York City, initially working as an illustrator and part-time etcher, although financial success remained elusive. His path took a turn for the better following a European sojourn in the 1880s and a brief hiatus from art. Lathrop's career gained momentum when he received acclaim for his watercolors displayed at a prestigious New York exhibition, earning recognition in The New York Times.

In 1899, Lathrop, accompanied by a group of art students, relocated to New Hope, Pennsylvania, nestled along the Delaware River across from Lambertville, New Jersey. Here, Lathrop's barge, affectionately known as Sunshine, served as a platform for budding artists to sketch passing landscapes, laying the foundation for an important American art colony. Over three decades, Lathrop's artistic style evolved from Tonalist, marked by moody palettes, to the vibrant Impressionist canvases for which he is renowned today. In 1916, he became a founding member of "The New Hope Group," a collective of artists who defined the parameters of the style that had already become known as Pennsylvania Impressionism.

Lathrop's influence extended to the establishment of Phillips Mill, a historic stone mill that became the primary exhibition space for the New Hope art colony. His role as its inaugural president solidified his impact on the local artistic community. Alongside such pursuits, Lathrop's personal life thrived, marked by a European adventure that led to marrying his wife, Annie, and the birth of their children. Settling in New Hope, Annie's Sunday afternoon teas fostered stimulating communal exchanges, drawing in artists and scholars. Notably, in his later years, Lathrop embarked on a maritime venture, crafting a wooden boat, The Widge, in his backyard and sailing it along the Atlantic shoreline. His enthusiasm for sailing extended to hosting distinguished guests, including the renowned physicist Albert Einstein.

Tragically, in 1938, Lathrop's life met an untimely end as he sailed near eastern Montauk Point in Long Island, encountering a devastating hurricane. Though he survived the storm's fury, accounts suggest he may have succumbed to a heart attack during the tempest, with his body discovered along the shoreline a month later. Remarkably, Lathrop's last painting endured the hurricane, a poignant testament to his steadfast artistic legacy.