RSW's Diary Comments

RSW's signature found in the lower right corner

Editor's Note:

There are no diary comments for this painting. There are two records of the name, however, BOTH are spelled differently and are probably refering to a chalk drawing (pastel) that exhibited in January of 1930 at the Longmeadow Woman's Club show. Still, we have no physical evidence of the chalk drawing other than being listed on the exhibition records. The uncited clipping (below) we have does not say if it is an oil or pastel painting it is referencing. Our guess would be that the clipping is for the Woman's Club exhibit. This actually makes more sense because we believe that this painting was made earlier than 1925. (See An Old Farm for a very similar style). Below, reading the description of the painting's "impasto" style dates it pre-Redgate or 1922.

Also, it is possible the later date of the chalk could be attributed to (1) it was made much earlier and RSW wanted to give the Woman's Club something affordable, and/or (2) RSW still had the original oil painting in his studio and made the chalk for the Woman's Club.

Uncited clipping regarding this painting:


".....A hillside farm, in spite of its title a welcoming
place, is given added significance by the proportion
of sky in the composition. Mr. Woodward looks
at his landscape as Edwin Arlington Robinson looks
at people, not only to give their individuality but to
show the human quality."

Needless to say but this painting has been listed on the website as Gray Heights since its inception because the only record we had of the painting was an old clipping from RSW's scrapbooks which incorrectly spelled the name and that it had sold at auction in 1987 from Sotheby's for $3025. However, you can see clearly from the picture below, in Woodward's own hand, the painting's correct name.

In RSW's hand, the name on the back of stretcher

This painting came up for auction from the Thomaston (ME) Place Auction Galleries on November 11, 2018 and sold at a hammer price of $8,500. The auction site gave the following description of the painting: "...impasto oil on canvas, signed lower right, titled verso, housed in a vintage gold gesso frame with bright gold liner, OS: 32" x 37", SS: 24 1/2" x 29 1/2", cleaned and relined, minor retouching, fine craquelure." Live online, the auctioneer also stated the frame was "22-carat gold inlay" (the gesso).

Although we do not have any specific records dating the painting. It is believed to have been painted after 1925 and no later than 1928. This determination is based upon two factors: (1) the impasto style brush application was the most common technique used by RSW up to 1928, yet (2) there appears to be little to no use of a high-gloss varnish RSW commonly used between 1918 and 1925.