他出生于3月22日，1816 Kensett上过学在柴郡中学，并研究了雕刻与他的移民父亲，托马斯Kensett，后来与他的叔叔，阿尔弗雷德Dagget。他曾作为雕刻纽黑文地区，直到大约1838年，然后去在纽约市的钞票雕刻工作。

1840年，随着灰粉Durand和约翰·威廉Casilear，Kensett前往欧洲为了学画。在那里，他会见，并与前往本杰明Champney。这两个勾勒和彩绘整个欧洲，提炼自己的才华。在此期间，Kensett制定了17世纪荷兰的赞赏和亲和力的风景油画。Kensett和Champney于1847年回到了美国。

建立自己的工作室，并在纽约定居后，Kensett个东北以及遍游科罗拉多洛矶山以及使好几趟回欧洲。

Kensett最出名的是他的著名景观的纽约州北部和新英格兰地区和沿海的海景新泽西州，长岛和新英格兰。他有最密切的的“第二代”相关的哈得逊河学校。随着桑福德罗宾逊吉福德，菲茨亨利巷，碧玉弗朗西斯克罗波西，马丁·约翰逊Heade和其他人的作品“Luminists” ，因为他们后来被称为，进行了表征用来传达的素质和作用unselfconscious，几乎看不见的笔触大气光。这种影响从本质升华和沉思带着一个更接近真理的精神先验哲学朵朵。在1848年，他被选进了设计的美国国家科学院作为一个准会员，并于1849年成为一个完整的院士。

1851年Kensett画了一个巨大的帆布华盛顿山，已成为一个图标白山艺术。华盛顿山从谷康威被购买的美国艺术联盟，制作成由詹姆斯·斯迈利雕刻，并分发至13000艺术联盟用户遍布全国各地。其他艺术家画这一幕的副本从打印。柯里尔和艾夫斯发表在1860年的类似打印此通过Kensett单画有助于普及白山区域新罕布什尔州。

Kensett的风格逐渐演变，从19世纪50年代传统的哈得逊河学校的方式进入晚年更精致Luminist风格。到了19世纪70年代初被Kensett在他的家就知足岛，在花费大量的时间长岛海峡附近的达里恩，康涅狄格州。

正是在这个时候，Kensett画一些他最好的作品。许多是备件和luminist海景，最好的例子是伊顿的脖子，长岛现在的集合（1872）大都会艺术博物馆在纽约。

艺术家是广泛好评和生前财政成功。反过来，他在支持艺术和艺术家的慷慨。他是正式成员设计的美国国家科学院，美术家“基金协会的创始人和总裁，以及纽约大都会艺术博物馆的创办人及受托人。

He was born in March 22nd, 1816 Kensett went to school in Cheshire middle school and studied sculpture with his immigrant father, Thomas Kensett, and later with his uncle,, Dagget. He worked as a sculpture in New Haven, until about 1838, and then go to work in the city of New York banknote engraving.
In 1840, with ash Durand and John William Casilear, Kensett went to Europe to study painting. There, he met and traveled with Benjamin Champney. The two sketched and painted throughout Europe, refining their talent. In the meantime, Kensett developed the seventeenth Century Holland appreciation and affinity landscape oil painting. Kensett and Champney returned to the United States in 1847.
Set up their own studio, and settled in New York, Kensett in the northeast as well as the tour of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and several times back to europe.
Kensett is best known for his famous landscapes of northern New York and the new England area and the coastal sea of New Jersey, Long Island and new England. He is most closely related to the "second generation" of the Hudson River school. Along with Sanford Robinson Gifford, Fitz Henry lane, Jasper Francis Clou Posy, Martin Johnson Heade and other works "Luminists", as they came to be known, were characterized for quality and function of unselfconscious communication, almost can not see the atmosphere light strokes. This influence from the essence of sublimation and meditation with a closer to the truth of the spirit of transcendental philosophy. In 1848, he was elected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and became a full member in 1849.
In 1851, Kensett drew a huge canvas of Mount Washington, has become an icon of Baishan art. Mount Washington was purchased from Conway valley of the American Art Union, made by James Smiley sculpture, and distributed to 13000 users across the country Arts alliance. Other artists draw copies of this scene from print. Collier and Ives published in 1860 by the similar print Kensett single painting contributes to the popularity of the white mountain area of new hampshire.
Kensett style gradually evolved from 1850s, the traditional Hudson River school way into old age more exquisite style Luminist. By the early 1870s was Kensett in his home on contentment Island, spending a lot of time near the Strait of Long Island near Darien, Connecticut.
It was at this time that Kensett painted some of his best works. Many are spare parts and luminist sea view, the best example is Eaton's neck, Long Island now set (1872) Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Artists are widely acclaimed and financially successful. In turn, he supports the generosity of art and artists. He is a full member of the National Academy of Sciences, artist, founder and President of the Fund Association, as well as the founder and trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York