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Finding Religion: American
Art from the Hartford Steam Boiler Collection
January 14 - May 28, 2006
(above: Fidelia Bridges (1834-1923),
Thistle in a Field, 1875, oil on canvas, 14 x 10 inches, Signed and
dated lower right "F. Bridges 1875". Florence Griswold Museum;
Gift of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company)
Finding Religion:
American Art from the Hartford Steam Boiler Collection, a new exhibition on view January 14 through May 28, 2006 at the
Florence 
Griswold Museum in Old Lyme,
Connecticut, explores how the ideas of religion and spirituality were manifested
and conveyed in American art between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries.
Using forty works drawn entirely from the Museum's Hartford Steam Boiler
Collection, Finding Religion examines the various paths artists such as
Ralph Earl, Frederic Church, Fidelia Bridges, and John Twachtman have taken
in their quest to find religion in the world around them. (right:
Harlan Page (1791-1834), Portrait of a Man, c. 1815, oil on canvas,
21 1/4 x 18 3/4 inches. Harlan Page's Portrait of a Man seems a visual representation
of the Second Great Awakening, the dynamic 19th century religious revival
that set the artist's soul on fire. Art historians speculate that this is
a self portrait.)
From sweeping and majestic images of the natural world
to highly personal images of family and home, this exhibition explores the
many expressions of faith and spirituality in art and considers their roles
in shaping American culture. "The breadth of the Hartford Steam Boiler
Collection presents the opportunity to consider the significant transitions
of national self-definition through a series of new lenses," notes
Dr. Diane Apostolos-Cappadona, a leading scholar in the fields of art, religious,
and cultural studies at Georgetown University. "The exhibition challenges
us to look at these works from the perception of, and in response to, a
variety of religious and spiritual expressions."
From Bibles to Buildings
Organized by Dr. Emily Weeks Florentino, the Museum's former
curator of American art, Finding Religion: American Art from the Hartford
Steam Boiler Collection is divided into several themes, with historical
evidence and scholarly observations used to interpret each section. Often,
the relationship between art and religion can be simple and transparent,
as viewed in The Good Word section of the exhibition. Here, the paintings
are all portraits dating from 1793 to 1890. Visual clues, often a Bible
or other devotional text, allude to the sitter's steadfast spiritual resolve.
The striking and highly stylized features in Ammi Phillips' Portrait
of Katherine Salisbury Newkirk Hickok (c. 1825) reference aspects of
Puritanism found in that era.
Whenever organized religion has seemed too limiting, Americans
have often turned to the natural world for inspiration. In the 19th century,
popular p
hilosophical movements held
that nature was "God's other book," a sacred text of truly awesome
proportions. The section Landscapes of Belief uses the art of Frederic Church,
Thomas Cole, and others to explain these values. Taking the observation
of, and devotion to, nature one-step further, artists influenced by the
British art critic and philosopher John Ruskin (1813-1900) believed that
the informed observance of nature was nothing less than "following
the finger of God." In his view, art, religion, and nature were inextricably
intertwined. John F. Kensett's Study of a Burdoch Plant and Fidelia Bridges
Thistle in a Field (1875) exemplify this philosophy. (left: Ammi
Phillips (1788-1865), Portrait of Katherine Salisbury Newkirk Hickok,
c. 1825, oil on canvas, 32 x 27 inches. Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company)
Also in the 1800s, many Christian denominations began redefining
religion as a matter of the heart rather than the mind. Paintings from the
section entitled Morality, Domesticity, and the Modern Madonna, such as
John Henry Twachtman's Barnyard (c. 1890-1900) and George de Forest
Brush's In the Garden (1923), are rich with images of women and children
and illustrate the parallel that was drawn between the American mother and
child and the Madonna and Child.
In the early 19th century, America's wilderness spoke of
divine promise, but it was the city that mattered at the century's end.
The paintings selected to represent the theme Civil Religion: History, Nationalism,
and the Idea of America, such as Guy Wiggins' patriotic Washington's
Birthday at Madison Square (1927), suggest that the booming metropolitan
environment of America, although fraught with problems, unified individual
citizens, and, like a church, offered a public space in which citizens could
join together for a spirited observation of national unity. The gradual
shift in America's religious focus -- from reading the Bible to "reading"
a monument, and from practicing pious acts to revering patriotic icons --
has led many to see modern America as secular.
Finding Religion is generously
supported by grants from The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance
Company, The Starr Foundation, and the George A. and Grace L. Long Foundation.
An active schedule of lectures and educational programs, which follows this
release and is also listed on-line at http://www.flogris.org
further illuminates the diverse themes of the exhibition.
The Hartford Steam Boiler Collection
The paintings in this exhibition were selected from among
the 190 works of American art that were given to the Florence Griswold Museum
in 2002 by The 
Hartford Steam
Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. It is the Museum's goal to share
these works with the public through innovative exhibitions and loans to
other Museums worldwide. Works from this collection are currently on view
in Paris and London. (right: Thomas Cole (1801-1848), Study for
A Wild Scene, 1831, oil on canvas,11 x 17 inches. Florence Griswold
Museum; Gift of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company)
Events:
-
- GALLERY TALK
-
- The Madonna and Child: Universal Images and Myths
Throughout Art and History
- Tuesday, January 17, 1pm
- Free with Museum admission
- Curatorial research assistant, Fred Biamonte, examines
the cross-cultural archetype of the Madonna and Child, from the ancient
Egyptian Isis and Horus to the "Modern Madonnas" of George de
Forest Brush, which is included in the exhibition.
-
- CONCERT
-
- The Religious Songs of Charles Ives: A panel of Ives scholars, musicians, and singers
- Thursday, March 23, 7pm - Fee
- Reservations: 860-434-5542 x 109
- The religious songs of Connecticut-born composer Charles
Ives are explained and showcased in this gallery concert. An engaging evening
of history, music, and song with a distinguished panel of Ives aficionados
who share their expertise and passion through this special collection of
songs by America's finest composer of concert music.
-
- LECTURE
-
- Re-Discovering America: New Ports of Embarkation,
New Points of Entry
- Sunday, March 19, 2pm - Fee
- Reservations: 860-434-5542 x 109
- How is religion art? How is art religious? Dr. Diane
Apostolos-Cappadona, a leading scholar in the fields of art, religious,
and cultural studies at Georgetown University challenges the traditional
preconceptions about American culture in this examination of the dialogue
between art and religion. Referencing works of American art both within
and beyond those found in Finding Religion: American Art from the Hartford
Steam Boiler Collection, Apostolos-Cappadona examines new ways of seeing
and discussing art, religion, and spirituality in American cultural history.
-
Checklist from the exhibition
-
- The Good Word
-
- Lucius Barnes (1819-1836)
- Mrs. Martha Atkins Barnes, 1834
- Watercolor and ink on paper
- 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches
- Signed lower right "Lucius Barnes"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Ralph Earl (1751-1801)
- Mrs. Guy Richards of New London, 1793
- Oil on canvas
- 43 x 32 3/4 inches
- Signed and dated center left "R. Earl 1793"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Harlan Page (1791-1834)
- Portrait of a Man, c. 1815
- Oil on canvas
- 21 1/4 x 18 3/4 inches
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Ammi Phillips (1788-1865)
- Portrait of Katherine Salisbury Newkirk Hickok, c. 1825
- Oil on canvas
- 32 x 27 inches
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- J. Alden Weir (1852-1919)
- Portrait of Robert Weir, 1878
- Oil on wood
- 10 1/4 x 7 7/8 inches
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- J. Alden Weir (1852-1919)
- The Little Student, 1890
- Drypoint
- 4 x 3 1/4 inches
- Signed upper left "J. Alden Weir"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
-
-
- Landscapes of Belief
-
- Emil Carlsen (1853-1932)
- Moonlight, 1887
- Oil on canvas
- 15 x 18 inches
- Signed and dated lower right "Emil Carlsen 87"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Frederic E. Church (1826-1900)
- A Catskill Landscape, c. 1858-1860
- Oil on canvas
- 10 1/4 x 16 1/8 inches
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Thomas Cole (1801-1848)
- Study for A Wild Scene, 1831
- Oil on canvas
- 11 x 17 inches
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Leon Dabo (1868-1960)
- Low Tide, Oak Point
- Oil on canvas
- 24 x 30 inches
- Signed lower left "Leon Dabo"
-
- Charles H. Davis (1856-1933)
- Summer Uplands
- Oil on canvas
- 36 x 29 inches
- Signed lower left "C.H. Davis"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Charles H. Davis (1856-1933)
- Twilight Over the Water, 1892
- Oil on canvas
- 13 x 21 inches
- Signed lower left "C.H.Davis"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Frank Vincent DuMond (1865-1951)
- Garden Path, 1897
- Oil on canvas
- 19 x 29 inches
- Signed lower right, "F.V. DuMond"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- **Frank Vincent DuMond (1865-1951)
- Garden of Eden, 1903
- Oil on canvas
- 40 1/2 x 79 inches
- Florence Griswold Museum;
- Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Harold Goodwin
- **Please note, this is the only work in the
- exhibition not part of the Hartford Steam Boiler Collection
-
- David Johnson (1827-1908)
- West Cornwall, Connecticut, 1875
- Oil on canvas
- 16 1/4 x 13 inches
- Signed and dated lower right with monogram "D J 75"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Henry Ward Ranger (1858-1916)
- Mason's Island, 1905
- Oil on canvas
- 28 x 36 inches
- Signed and dated lower left "H.W. Ranger 1905"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Chauncey F. Ryder (1868-1949)
- Rocky Landscape
- Oil on canvas
- 32 x 42 inches
- Signed lower left "Chauncey F. Ryder"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Gregory Smith (1880-1961)
- Moonlight, c. 1915
- Oil on canvas
- 32 x 40 inches
- Signed lower left "Gregory Smith"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Dwight W. Tryon (1849-1925)
- Autumn, 1913
- Pastel on grey paper
- 7 3/4 x 11 3/4 inches
- Signed and dated lower left "D.W. Tryon 1913"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
-
-
- God is in the Details
-
- Fidelia Bridges (1834-1923)
- Thistle in a Field, 1875
- Oil on canvas
- 14 x 10 inches
- Signed and dated lower right "F. Bridges 1875"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Fidelia Bridges (1834-1923)
- Wild Roses Among Rye, 1874
- Gouache on paper
- 14 x 10 inches
- Signed and dated lower right "F. Bridges 1874"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Frederic E. Church (1826-1900)
- Autumn Landscape, Vermont, c. 1865
- Oil on paper mounted on board
- 10 5/8 x 6 3/8 inches
- Signed lower right with co-joined monogram "FC"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- George H. Durrie (1820-1863)
- Summer Landscape
- Oil on canvas
- 26 x 22 inches
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- John F. Kensett (1816-1872)
- Study of a Burdoch Plant
- Oil on paper, mounted on canvas
- 9 1/16 x 15 1/4 inches
- Signed lower right with monogram "JFK"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Willard L. Metcalf (1858-1925)
- The Trout Pool, November, 1910
- Oil on canvas
- 29 x 26 inches
- Signed and dated lower left "W.L. Metcalf 1910"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Nelson Augustus Moore (1824-1902)
- Apple Orchard, 1878
- Oil on canvas
- 18 x 28 inches
- Signed and dated lower left "N.A. Moore, 78"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Charles Ethan Porter (c. 1847-1923)
- Still Life (Crock, Kettle, and Onions)
- Oil on canvas
- 18 x 26-1/2 inches
- Signed lower right "C.E. Porter"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- Gurdon Trumbull (1841-1903)
- Black Bass, 1872
- Oil on canvas
- 17 1/2 x 25 inches
- Signed and dated lower right "G. Trumbull 72"
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
- J. Alden Weir (1852-1919)
- Silver Chalice, Japanese Bronze and Red Taper, c. 1884-1889
- Oil on canvas
- 17 1/8 x 11 5/8 inches
- Signed upper right "J. Alden Weir"
- and inscribed center left with Whistler's monogram
- Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of
- The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
-
-
-
- Morality, Domesticity, and the Modern Madonna
-
-
(above: George de Forest Brush (1855-1941), In the
Garden, 1923, Oil on gesso ground on a zinc panel support, 191/2 x
8 1/2 inches, Signed and dated lower right "Geo. De Forest Brush 1923".
Florence Griswold Museum; Gift of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection
and Insurance Company)
-
- George de Forest Brush (1855-1941)
- In the Garden, 1923
- Oil on gesso ground on a zinc panel support
- 191/2 x 8 1/2 inches
- Signed and dated lower right "Geo. De Forest Brush 1923"