Born in Weymouth , MA was a Boston painter known for his floral garden scenes and still lifes.
Although much of his work, keeping with the Boston School style, depicted in a realistic way, his thick, impasto brush strokes and bright colorful sun-lit paintings showed his acceptance of Impressionism. He studied at M.I.T. with Cormon, Laurens, and Gervais.
In 1884 he went to Paris and Italy , and concentrated on still lifes, often working with his good friend Edmund Tarbell, also a Boston painter. Graves and Tarbell roomed together in Europe , where they both studied still-life painting.
Returning to Boston in 1885 he became a member of the faculty of Cowles Art School where fellow-faculty member Childe Hassam, an impressionist, became an influence on his work. In 1887, Graves went to paris where he enrolled at the Academie Julian to study figures with Jean Paul Laurens.
From 1891 most of his paintings were of floral garden scenes, often with female figures in bright sun, showing the influence of European impressionism.
Travels between Paris and New England continued throughout his career, and in 1891, he opened a school in Boston, which ultimately moved to Kennebunkport, Maine and closed in 1902. He also did work in Paris from 1902 to 1905.
Graves married Montie Aldrich, October 1, 1886 and they had two children. Abbott Fuller Graves died July 17, 1936.
