{"id":4936,"date":"2018-07-03T11:26:06","date_gmt":"2018-07-03T15:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lizzieborden.org\/CuratorsCorner\/?p=4936"},"modified":"2018-07-03T12:52:33","modified_gmt":"2018-07-03T16:52:33","slug":"update-ii-on-a-dunning-landscape-painting-location-identified","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/2018\/07\/03\/update-ii-on-a-dunning-landscape-painting-location-identified\/","title":{"rendered":"Update II on a Dunning Landscape Painting: Location Identified"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a previous post I mentioned that researching the history of material in the FRHS collections is a favorite aspect of my work \u2013 \u201cthe thrill of the hunt,\u201d you know \u2013 and this is another example.<\/span><\/p>\n

The query:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Where was it in Medway, Massachusetts, that Robert Spear Dunning set up his easel and opened his paint box to capture Autumn at Medway<\/em>?<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearly, there was something about the vista that appealed to him as he wandered along the banks of the Charles River on that fall day in 1885. The muse hit home \u2013 he saw, he stopped, he put paint to panel. A moment in time, captured.<\/span><\/p>\n

But where was he?<\/span><\/p>\n

To find the location, the inquiry began.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Medway, of course.<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A request for assistance directed to the Medway Historical Society (MHS) was answered in the quick by Paul Russell, vice-president of the organization; he possesses a vast knowledge of that town\u2019s history, and, best of all, is willing to share it.<\/span><\/p>\n

The most likely location was in the area of the Shaw Street Bridge in Medway \u2013 it spans the Charles River \u2013 and is depicted in this 1902 photograph, Shaw Street Bridge with Boaters<\/em>. The original image is a\u00a0\u00a0glass plate negative preserved in the MHS collection and converted to a digital file by Paul.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the painting, one has to account for artistic liberties, of course \u2013 the mountain for example \u2013 but the photograph does give us an idea of what inspired Dunning as he painted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I am indebted to Paul and the MHS for identifying the location, and providing the image \u2013 much appreciated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you, Paul!<\/span><\/p>\n

The next step: <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Attempting to ascertain the provenance of the painting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where has it been since 1885? What was its history before being consigned to the auction block?<\/span><\/p>\n

So, what is the purpose of all this one may ask \u2013 does it really matter?<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes. It does.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because to look at a painting is one thing, but to see <\/em>a painting \u2013 to effectively interpret it \u2013 is quite another.<\/span><\/p>\n

The subject of a painting and its history \u2013 the backstory \u2013 is an essential link in the chain of provenance. The goal is to forge as many links as possible, thus forming an historical narrative and, as best one can, document it for the record.<\/span><\/p>\n

Very rewarding.<\/span><\/p>\n

When one is successful, that is.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a previous post I mentioned that researching the history of material in the FRHS collections is a favorite aspect of my work \u2013 \u201cthe thrill of the hunt,\u201d you know \u2013 and this is another example. The query: Where was it in Medway, Massachusetts, that Robert Spear Dunning set up his easel and opened …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[57,35,45,58],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4936"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4936"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4936\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4940,"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4936\/revisions\/4940"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4936"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4936"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4936"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}