"White Cottage in Autmn" by Woodhill Adams
Krieble Gallery
Krieble Gallery
I visited the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut, with my daughter on Saturday, December 13th 2008. My first impression of the museum was positive, especially upon arriving and seeing the beautifully designed mansion that once belonged to Florence Griswold and her family. I was amazed to hear that this museum started off not only as an early 19th century home, but was also a boarding school for girls, as well as a boarding house for artists during the early 20th century. It was tastefully decorated for the holidays, with a Christmas tree and antique decorations.
The museum consists of a few buildings. The Florence Griswold house is the heart of the estate and has been named “a national landmark” and is known for its painted wall panels and doors. On the other hand, the Krieble Gallery is a newer building that houses the museums gift shop and exhibits. One interesting feature is the walls that reflect natural sunlight that comes in through large skylights, which allows visitors to view the paintings in a similar manner similar to how the artists painted many of their pieces, which was outside, in a style known as “painting en plein air”. Another building of interest is the Hartman Education Center, which offers workshops, classes, and lectures to children and adults. (http://www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org/
Here is some background information about Florence Griswold that I found on the museums website. She was born on Christmas day in 1850 to wealthy New England merchant and his wife and died in December of 1937. The family enjoyed a very comfortable and privileged lifestyle until the onset of the Civil War, when the family ran into financial difficulties. Shortly after her father died, Florence and her mother and sisters turned their home into a boarding school for girls called the Griswold Home School, which ran for about fourteen years. During 1900, she decided to open her family home to artists, after Henry Ward Ranger approached her. Word of mouth spread and soon other artists came to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and formed what is now known as the Lyme Art Colony and contributed to the growth of the American Impressionism movement. It was the area’s picturesque landscapes and simplistic way of life that captured the attention of the artists and became the focus of their artwork. Griswold served not only as the owner and manager of the estate, but also as a motivator for her artists; she supported their work and encouraged them to take risks and pursue their craft and passion.
(www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org/visiting/griswoldhouse.html)
One of my favorite paintings was a panel painted on west wall of the Griswold home. It is called “White Cottage in autumn” and was painted by Woodhull Adams (1854-1921). It depicts a beautiful, 19th century white colonial style home, a style of architecture that was popular during this time period in New England, against a backdrop of blue sky and colorful fall foliage. The contrasts in colors, as well as the simplicity of the country setting, made me feel as if I was actually standing right outside that house during the time in which it was painted. Also, it made me think of my old house, an blue colonial style home that had a beautiful tree in the front yard that would yield breathtaking shades of red, orange, and gold leaves during the fall.
As stated in my comments made on the class blog, my visit to this museum was very enjoyable and my daughter and I had a great time. The charming paintings, architecture, and Christmas decorations not only put us into the holiday spirit, but made us appreciate the rich culture and history of Connecticut.
The museum consists of a few buildings. The Florence Griswold house is the heart of the estate and has been named “a national landmark” and is known for its painted wall panels and doors. On the other hand, the Krieble Gallery is a newer building that houses the museums gift shop and exhibits. One interesting feature is the walls that reflect natural sunlight that comes in through large skylights, which allows visitors to view the paintings in a similar manner similar to how the artists painted many of their pieces, which was outside, in a style known as “painting en plein air”. Another building of interest is the Hartman Education Center, which offers workshops, classes, and lectures to children and adults. (http://www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org/
Here is some background information about Florence Griswold that I found on the museums website. She was born on Christmas day in 1850 to wealthy New England merchant and his wife and died in December of 1937. The family enjoyed a very comfortable and privileged lifestyle until the onset of the Civil War, when the family ran into financial difficulties. Shortly after her father died, Florence and her mother and sisters turned their home into a boarding school for girls called the Griswold Home School, which ran for about fourteen years. During 1900, she decided to open her family home to artists, after Henry Ward Ranger approached her. Word of mouth spread and soon other artists came to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and formed what is now known as the Lyme Art Colony and contributed to the growth of the American Impressionism movement. It was the area’s picturesque landscapes and simplistic way of life that captured the attention of the artists and became the focus of their artwork. Griswold served not only as the owner and manager of the estate, but also as a motivator for her artists; she supported their work and encouraged them to take risks and pursue their craft and passion.
(www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org/visiting/griswoldhouse.html)
One of my favorite paintings was a panel painted on west wall of the Griswold home. It is called “White Cottage in autumn” and was painted by Woodhull Adams (1854-1921). It depicts a beautiful, 19th century white colonial style home, a style of architecture that was popular during this time period in New England, against a backdrop of blue sky and colorful fall foliage. The contrasts in colors, as well as the simplicity of the country setting, made me feel as if I was actually standing right outside that house during the time in which it was painted. Also, it made me think of my old house, an blue colonial style home that had a beautiful tree in the front yard that would yield breathtaking shades of red, orange, and gold leaves during the fall.
As stated in my comments made on the class blog, my visit to this museum was very enjoyable and my daughter and I had a great time. The charming paintings, architecture, and Christmas decorations not only put us into the holiday spirit, but made us appreciate the rich culture and history of Connecticut.
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