The artist was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, USA and died there. For one year in 1889-90 he lived and painted in West Cornwall. During that year he worked on A Newlyn Fish Auction and others that he finished when he returned to Boston in the fall of 1890.

On 16 February 1891 his promoter, J Eastman Chase opened a major show of the paintings Green had completed based on his time in Newlyn. His biographers comment 'The Newlyn experience sharpened all his developing senses and provided a focus for his art. It was the single most important experience of his career.'