William Edward Norton glass plate negatives, circa 1880

William Edward Norton (1843-1916) was a Boston born marine painter who studied in France, and settled in London. Norton had two paintings accepted by the Paris Salon, and exhibited at the Royal Academy. He also represented the United States at the International Exposition.

Norton, who was born into a family of shipbuilders, worked as a sailor in his youth and would sketch ships, crew, and seascapes during his free time. He later attended the Lowell Institute and studied under George Innes. Sales of his paintings funded his trip to France where he studied with Antoine Vollon and painted the Normandy coast.

After living in London with his wife, Norton returned to the United States in the early 1890s and lived and worked in New York City until his death.