When Weir left Paris in 1877, he pondered a comment from a Frenchmen he had met: “He thought America was going to be a great country for art. I hope certainly this is true.” With this in mind, he returned to New York City and established himself as a portrait and still life painter, as well an art teacher at the Art Students League. Immediately he helped to found the Society of American Artists, a group formed to exhibit their own works separate from the rigid standards of the Academy, an organization that was unwelcoming to young artists. Weir also banded with his aspiring peers in another format, The Tile Club. Formed also in 1877, this group of up and coming artists included William Merritt Chase and Winslow Homer, and all met weekly under the premise of painting tiles. The group really functioned as social club, with several outings that were “in search of the Picturesque,” and the opportunity for “good talk and the companionship of men who spoke the same artistic language.”
While in New York, Weir also took on the role of art buyer and collector, with additional trips to Europe in 1878 and again in 1880-1881, partly to study, partly to buy art for New York collectors like Erwin Davis. However, it was a particular piece of artwork from Weir’s personal collection that interested Davis the most. In fact, Davis wanted this European still-life painting so much that he propositioned Weir with a deal: by giving the painting to Davis, Weir would be traded a one-hundred and fifty-three acre farm in Branchville, Connecticut. Weir agreed. So, in 1882, for a painting and ten dollars, Weir received the Branchville farm.
In addition to acquiring this large property unexpectedly, another surprise event happened in January of 1882, when one of Weir’s drawing lesson pupils brought her friend with her to a lesson. The new student was Anna Dwight Baker from Windham, Connecticut. Within three weeks, Julian and Anna fell in love and became engaged; they were married in April of the following year.
