William Perkins Babcock (1826–1899): A Visionary of American Floral Art William Perkins Babcock was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1826, into a family steeped in artistic tradition. His father, William Babcock Sr., was a portrait painter himself, fostering an early appreciation for visual representation and meticulous observation—qualities that would profoundly shape Babcock’s artistic trajectory. From a young age, he demonstrated exceptional talent, honing his skills through self-study and experimentation before embarking on formal training at Yale University under the tutelage of Freder…