Walter Launt Palmer (1854–1932) was born in Albany, New York, the son of sculptor Erastus Dow Palmer. Immersed in art from an early age, he began studying painting as a teenager with portraitist Charles Elliott. Through his father’s connection with Frederic Edwin Church, Palmer secured the opportunity to study under the celebrated landscape painter, an experience that shaped his lifelong focus on light and atmosphere.

Palmer expanded his artistic training abroad, traveling through Italy and France, and studying in Paris with Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran, who emphasized tonal control and painterly technique. During this period, he absorbed the influence of the French Impressionists and interacted with fellow American artists abroad, including John Singer Sargent and William Merritt Chase, further refining his approach to landscape and snow scenes.

Throughout his career, Palmer earned numerous honors, including the Hallgarten Prize from the National Academy of Design and awards from the Philadelphia and Boston Art Clubs. In 1921, the Metropolitan Museum of Art purchased his painting Sunlight, cementing his reputation in American art. Best known for his luminous depictions of snow and winter landscapes, Palmer’s work is celebrated for its subtle handling of light, color, and atmosphere. He died in Albany on April 16, 1932, at age 78.