The Lyman Allyn Art Museum has been offering its collection to art lovers of Connecticut since 1932. It has been some time since I visited this handsome neo-classical building, but when I heard about their summer exhibition
A Good Summer's Work: J. Alden Weir, Connecticut Impressionist I knew a trip was required.
My friend June and I set out for New London on a beautiful summer day to learn more about J. Alden Weir and his painting colleagues. Weir and the art colony based in his studio at his farm painted in western Connecticut for nearly 40 years.
The exhibition begins with several portraits of Weir and his family.
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| J. Alden Weir, 1852 -1919 |
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| Anna Weir and her husband Alden |
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| Ella Baker Weir, Anna 's Sister. .Ella and Alden married after Anna's death |
The exhibition video
Love at First Sight makes clear, Alden's Windham Connecticut retreat greatly impacted his work.
The documentary film is very well done and most interesting.
The following are some of pictures that reflects Weir's love for Windham.
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| Windham Village |
One of Weir most famous painting is picture of a railroad bridge which critic say is influence by the Japanese art that was being studied and purchased by many of the Impressionist painters of the time.
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| The Red Bridge |
Weir's other Connecticut home in Branchville is now the
National Historic Site - the first national park dedicated to an American artist. The Weir Farm National Historic Site was home to several generations of American Artists. Julia Alden Weir purchased the farm in 1882 . Dorothy Weir and husband Mahond Young continue to the artistic tradition of the farm.
It was celebrate in an exhibition at the Bruce Museum entitled
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| Weir Farm House on the property of the National Historic Site |
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| The Laundry, Branchville |
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| The Fishing Part |
The exhibition also includes the works of other American impressionist. One of the artist included in this show was Emil Carlsen and was a wonderful discovery.
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| Soren Emil Carlsen, 1853 - 1932 |
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| Night, Old Windham |
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| October Summer |
Another painter I enjoy being introduced to was Guy C. Wiggins. There seems to be no end to impressionist I can discover. Life is good!
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| Church on the Hill |
