Charles Edwin Lewis Green prided himself most on being an American artist. In the early part of his career, he and his compatriot Charles Herbert Woodbury had adjoining studios in Boston, where they sought to paint in a distinctly American style; that is, without European influence. This goal became more and more difficult as the two artists were exposed to French Impressionism when they saw such paintings in local exhibitions. Even with this thread of influence Green's paintings reveal his singular ability to capture the look of the American landscape. Green had his first one-man show in 1886 at the J Eastman Chase Gallery, one of Boston's most prestigious exhibition venues at that time. In 1906, Green moved from Boston to his hometown of Lynn, Massachusetts, where in 1909, he became one of the founders of the Lynn Art Club. He died on January 18, 1915, having been a major influence on succeeding generations of painters inspired to paint local marine scenes of the Boston area.