Florence Griswold Museum - Art of the Everyman

As the logo claims, the Florence Griswold is famous for its extraordinary collection of American Impressionism.  This fine museum often collaborates with other small regional museum to move beyond Impressionism to bring a range of exhibition to visitors.  This summer the museum presented Art of the Everyman: Folk Art from the Fenimore Art Museum.  Earlier this summer I took advantage of a tour to Cogwell's Grant and Beauport sponsored by the Griswold.  Having enjoyed that tour into the world of American folk art, it seemed appropriate to visit the display of folk art on loan from the Fenimore Art Museum.

Van Bergen overmantel, 1728-1738

The exhibition contained a variety of folk art which made for a very pleasant experience.  The overmantel shown above clearly was one of the key pieces.  In my mind Portrait of Laura Hall, 1808 painted by James Brown was an extraordinary moving portrait and the star of the show. The portrait of Mother and Child attributed to Ammi Phillipps, 1825 was also an important piece.

The exhibition also featured a few artifacts like the knife box shown below:

There were a number of "historical works" which would be wonderful primary documents to be explored by students of early American history.  While fascinating for students, I can't imagine wanting one to hang in my living room.

 

William Sidney Mount, Ringing the Pig (1842)

While a modest exhibit, it was well hung and described; consequently, it made for a pleasant morning followed by a delightful picnic overlooking the Lieutenant River with Peggy Wilson a former Choate Rosemary Hall faculty member.