Regarding the mill - I see no signs of a messy lumber mill. Instead, the scene is serene. The builder of the mill has gone to great lengths to build on stilts over the stream rather than on the bank. There also appears to be a simple bridge where the road passes over the stream. Looking at the embankment behind the mill, could mean the water is really flowing into, not out of the large body of water. But then, I don't think we were supposed to look at details, it's an idealistic landscape after all. It was probably hung in the parlor of an urban home as a visual escape from the crowd and noise of the city.
Just a thought but how about another possible location, from our personal travels, paintings and railroad photos this picture makes me think of the Hudson River Valley with its hills and yes, mountains - a wide river rather than a lake or millpond? I did look up Hudson River School of painting. One especially, by William John Hill (1819-1879) His "Hudson River Landscape" is more elaborate than our painting but late enough to show telegraph poles. There is a similar scene of deer grazing in the lower Left-hand corner. rather than our man and horse. It is eBay item 275085491882 - $3898.
Hi Larry, I was wondering about the mill as I looked more closely. It almost looks like someone's idea of a mill, without the knowledge of how a mill works. It is definitely an idealistic landscape. I really wonder about the location given by the donor. It looks a like like the Hudson River School. Pieces by known HRS artists fetch high prices!
I did have a crazy thought based on our first home in North Reading. It backed up to the Ipswich River, still there, a barn red house and garage with a fence that I built to keep a very young Becky in. It was originally a slaughter house, then an art studio and finally a winterized home when we bought it in 1965. So the stream and construction in the picture, eventually made me think of that. I decided to leave that part out. As a farm building it was heavily and accurately constructed. better than a house; there were still a few meat hooks in the basement. My folks were appalled! We were there 10 years (did two house tours) and moved to Salem Street in 1976. The art studio was in the 1930's as I recall, then two generations of the same family winterized it and added the garage.
The painting definitely follows the (at the time) classic sweeping vista works done by the contemporary landscape artists of the day. I like it because the eye is drawn to the curve of the road on the bottom right and begs the question, where is the man on the horse coming from - he's not on the main road. That section of the painting is dark and industrial looking. In contrast, the middle, left and upper section of the painting is all about light and the serenity of a boat sailing on the calm water framed by the mountains and houses in the background. I'm not an artist but I like the 3 sections of the painting - light, dark and human/animal.
I can’t stop laughing thinking about the scale of the mountain range represented in this landscape that would remotely be in the state of Mississippi USA. The highest point in this state is 800 plus feet and is a hill.
There is Mississippi Mill, Ontario which is located in a lake region but again I find no mountain range.
The Sciples Mill established in 1790 is a similar structure but again no mountain range.
To the other commenter’s point, the depicted grist mill in the painting is built over a diverted stream so the “workhorse” would not have powered the mill.
More questions: Where is the mill wheel? Why Mississippi rather some other place? Where is Mississippi Dam? The horse looked like he is ready to be hitched up for work - was the rider renting out the horse for work? Was he working for day pay for someone else? Was he on his way to work where the horse walked in a circle to make the "mill" to work? How old was the rider? Was this on an estate where the owner's family had the leisure to float on the pond/lake in a sailboat? hmmmm ...
Regarding the mill - I see no signs of a messy lumber mill. Instead, the scene is serene. The builder of the mill has gone to great lengths to build on stilts over the stream rather than on the bank. There also appears to be a simple bridge where the road passes over the stream. Looking at the embankment behind the mill, could mean the water is really flowing into, not out of the large body of water. But then, I don't think we were supposed to look at details, it's an idealistic landscape after all. It was probably hung in the parlor of an urban home as a visual escape from the crowd and noise of the city.
Just a thought but how about another possible location, from our personal travels, paintings and railroad photos this picture makes me think of the Hudson River Valley with its hills and yes, mountains - a wide river rather than a lake or millpond? I did look up Hudson River School of painting. One especially, by William John Hill (1819-1879) His "Hudson River Landscape" is more elaborate than our painting but late enough to show telegraph poles. There is a similar scene of deer grazing in the lower Left-hand corner. rather than our man and horse. It is eBay item 275085491882 - $3898.
Hi Larry, I was wondering about the mill as I looked more closely. It almost looks like someone's idea of a mill, without the knowledge of how a mill works. It is definitely an idealistic landscape. I really wonder about the location given by the donor. It looks a like like the Hudson River School. Pieces by known HRS artists fetch high prices!
I did have a crazy thought based on our first home in North Reading. It backed up to the Ipswich River, still there, a barn red house and garage with a fence that I built to keep a very young Becky in. It was originally a slaughter house, then an art studio and finally a winterized home when we bought it in 1965. So the stream and construction in the picture, eventually made me think of that. I decided to leave that part out. As a farm building it was heavily and accurately constructed. better than a house; there were still a few meat hooks in the basement. My folks were appalled! We were there 10 years (did two house tours) and moved to Salem Street in 1976. The art studio was in the 1930's as I recall, then two generations of the same family winterized it and added the garage.
Larry
Great story, Larry. Slaughter house to art studio!
The painting definitely follows the (at the time) classic sweeping vista works done by the contemporary landscape artists of the day. I like it because the eye is drawn to the curve of the road on the bottom right and begs the question, where is the man on the horse coming from - he's not on the main road. That section of the painting is dark and industrial looking. In contrast, the middle, left and upper section of the painting is all about light and the serenity of a boat sailing on the calm water framed by the mountains and houses in the background. I'm not an artist but I like the 3 sections of the painting - light, dark and human/animal.
Love your analysis, Martha!
I can’t stop laughing thinking about the scale of the mountain range represented in this landscape that would remotely be in the state of Mississippi USA. The highest point in this state is 800 plus feet and is a hill.
Too funny! I don't know how the donor came up with that location. I'll post more if I find anything.
There is Mississippi Mill, Ontario which is located in a lake region but again I find no mountain range.
The Sciples Mill established in 1790 is a similar structure but again no mountain range.
To the other commenter’s point, the depicted grist mill in the painting is built over a diverted stream so the “workhorse” would not have powered the mill.
More questions: Where is the mill wheel? Why Mississippi rather some other place? Where is Mississippi Dam? The horse looked like he is ready to be hitched up for work - was the rider renting out the horse for work? Was he working for day pay for someone else? Was he on his way to work where the horse walked in a circle to make the "mill" to work? How old was the rider? Was this on an estate where the owner's family had the leisure to float on the pond/lake in a sailboat? hmmmm ...
I like your questions, Kay! It's finding little treasures throughout an artist's work.