Featured Artwork: Distant Hills and Valleys

RSW's Diary Comments

This painting does not appear in Woodward's painting diaries, however is closely related to From a Hill Pasture, below.

Painting Diary remark's by RSW for From a Hill Pasture:

From a Hill Pasture, 1939

"Painted in 1939. Again my Heath Pasture beech tree, made in blues and yellows to color scheme given me of the living room of Jack Benny and his wife Mary Livingstone, movie and radio stars, and bought by them for their new house (decorated by Harold Grieve) at 1002 N. Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills, California."

EDITOR'S NOTE:

There is a bit of confusion regarding this painting and From a Hill Pasture. Our research has established that there are at least two paintings of this exact scene. The color image of the painting we believe is From a Hill Pasture was definitely not purchased from the auction in November of 1998. That much we are certain but whether there is a third remains possible as well. For more, see our comments in the Additional Notes section below.

A photograph of Jack Benny's living
room at 1002 N. Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills, CA.

It was not uncommon for Woodward to make more than version one painting of the same scene during his career. Especially when he knew for certain one painting would be on the west coast in Los Angeles. From a Hill Pasture was sold to Jack Benny and his wife Mary through interior designer and long time friend of Woodward's, Harold Grieve, to hang in their new Beverly Hills home. We have a picture of it hanging in their living room (to the left).

After establishing that the painting we believe is From a Hill Pasture was not purchased through the auction in 1998, it proved there are at least two paintings. Regarding the name of the painting above, Distant Hills and Valleys, we have no reason to think the name is incorrect. Yet still, we have not been able to verify its name at this time and in our experience auction houses and newspapers are notorious for getting names wrong and the auction house did publish the incorrect size of this painting. Yet, we will continue to call this painting by the only name we know.

Jack Benny with wife Mary and daughter Joan

The most pressing issue is that we have also been unable to confirm the name of the painting we believe is From a Hill Pasture because it had, at some time in its history, had work done on it and now has a modern backer-board and paper covering the name. We cannot say specifically where the painting resides due to the owner's privacy but it is not located in the Northeastern region of the country, for which, the painting above, Distant Hills and Valleys does.

We may never know for sure if the painting we believe is From a Hill Pasture is actually correct and for that reason, it is possible that there is a third painting of the same subject. As unlikely as that may seem, the website has tried to reach the Benny's adopted daughter, Joan Benny Blumofe, for information about the painting. Our attempts were, however, unsuccessful and she has since passed (June 10, 2021).