At Springfield, Museums: A Little Seen Winslow Homer Painting On View,The New Novel, As Well As Whistler's European Etchings

At Springfield, Museums: A Little Seen Winslow Homer Painting On View, The New Novel, As Well As Whistler's European Etchings

Winslow Homer (1836 - 1910), The New Novel, 1877. Watercolor on paper, Michele & Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, MA. Art Inconnu, Wikimedia Commons

The Springfield Museums, located in the heart of downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, is comprised of five world-class museums; the Michele & Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts., the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Springfield Science Museum, and the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. The Museums' Association is also home to the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, a series of full–scale bronze sculptures of Dr. Seuss's whimsical creations, honoring the birthplace of Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss.

The painting, one of the most recognizable and important paintings in the combined collections of the Springfield Museums, will be on display as part of a new exhibit titled American Master: Winslow Homer in the Starr Gallery of the Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts until September 27, 2015. The Homer exhibit runs concurrently with a display of etchings by James Abbott McNeill Whistler from the D'Amour Museum's extensive holdings of nineteenth century American art, giving visitors an opportunity to view works by two of America’s most influential artists.

Watercolors are subject to fading when exposed to light. For that reason, The New Novel is only displayed periodically for short periods of time. The painting of young woman reclining on the grass, completely engrossed in a book, was first displayed in the 1877 exhibition of the American Watercolor Society. The woman's identity or connection to the artist is not known, though many have suggested that the artist had a romantic interest in the subject. The work marks the emergence of Homer's mature style, a period when he used his mastery of oil painting and his emerging skill with watercolors to capture scenes of rural and seaside life in post-Civil War America.

In addition, nine wood engravings by Homer will also be on display, including Skating on the Ladies Skating Pond in Central Park New York, Homeward Bound, and Trapping in the Adirondacks. The engravings date from early in Homer's career when he captured scenes of country life and leisure for publications like Harper's Weekly. Whistler Etching

Currently, the D'Amour Museum has also placed eleven etchings by James Abbott McNeill Whistler on view in the Collins Print Gallery. On view through June 7, Whistler's World: Etchings by James Abbott McNeill Whistler features etchings from series of works inspired by Whistler's earliest years in Europe as young artist. These groupings are known as The Venice Set (or Twelve Etchings from Nature), The French Set, and The Thames Set. In addition, several reproduction photographs that demonstrate the Whistler family's connection to Springfield will also be on display. These include a photo of the family residence when Whistler lived in Springfield as a young boy between 1840 and 1842. Coincidently, the building stood at the corner of Chestnut and Edwards Street, on the site currently occupied by the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History and just a few steps from the D'Amour Museum itself.

One of the most original and influential artists of his time, James Abbott McNeill Whistler spent his early years in New England, living in Lowell and in Springfield, Massachusetts. His leadership in the aesthetic movement had a profound impact on both American and European artists working in the late nineteenth century.

Deciding to become an artist, Whistler moved to Europe in 1855. He settled in Paris and took up a bohemian life, associating with a group of young English artists and becoming close friends with French painters Henri Fantin-Latour (1836-1904) and Alphonse Legros (1837-1911). French Realist painter Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) was the most significant influence on his early career.

Pages: 1 · 2

Culture and Arts, Relationships and Going Places, Art and Museums, History, Culture Watch, Travel, Senior Women Web, Articles, Sightings, What's New Add comments

At Springfield, Museums: A Little Seen Winslow Homer Painting On View, The New Novel, As Well As Whistler's European Etchings

More Articles