I've been greatly influenced by the mid-Victorians, especially those that came right after the traditional academics but right before the impressionists...i.e., the pre-Raphaelites, the 19th century realists, the Hudson River school, etc.

1. James Jacques Joseph Tissot...beautiful women, elegant scenery, witty commentary on the British upper class.

http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=12

2. Jean Leon Gerome...exotic settings, vibrant colors, dynamic interplay of light and shadow.

http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=9

3. Edmund Blair Leighton...romantic (in the 19th century meaning), wonderful figures, great settings,.

http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=844

4. Albert Bierstadt...amazing, powerful landscapes, best of the Hudson River School.

http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=80

5. Julien Dupre...best of 19th realism, was the true bridge between the academics and the impressionists, painted the central figure in a detailed, academic style while painting the background in a looser, more impressionistic style.

http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=113

I'd rather stay in my lane than lay in my stain!