RSW's Diary Comments

The letter from Mount Holyoke College's Art &
Archaeology department asking Woodward if he'd like to
participate in the exhibit set for October. It is an odd sit-
uation for two reasons; (1) the class of 1935 already bought
a painting (see From New England Pastures) in May, and
then (2) left another $500 to buy another after they are gone⸮

"Painted in 1935. A large canvas of Putts Hill ;which I painted out of doors from Wilder's pasture, the village of Buckland nestled in the valley. Made for an exhibition at Mt. Holyoke College from which the graduating Class was to buy a canvas for the college. They chose one of Daniel Garber's, but the college, under the influence of Mary Wooley and Miss Galt, wanted the painting for the college so it was bought and hung in the library of the college." Sold for $500 (plus frame) in November, 1935, to the college to hang in new Williston Library Wing."

Editor's Note:

We do not know why Woodward would name "Putt's Hill" as the subject of a painting named for and made for the founder of Mount Holyoke College, and born in Buckland, MA, education pioneer Mary Lyon. Actually it is not Putt's Hill at all! Mary Lyon Hill and Putt's Hill share a ridgeline among them, but Putt's Hill's peak is way to the left of the scene you see in the painting. The other two peaks you see in the distance of the painting are Moonshine Hill on the left and an unnamed hill in neighboring Ashfield. The painting's name is Mary Lyon's Hill for heck sake. It is this sort of thing that illustrates just how little Woodward cared about the painting diary he was encouraged to compile by Dr. Mark and his friend F. Earl Williams. Whenever we see something where Woodward lacked an attention to detail, it tells us how he felt about it.

More about Daniel Gerber and the painting chosen by the graduating class:

A Country Town, Daniel Garber (American 1880 - 1958)
Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, South Hadley, MA

American artist Daniel Garber was a leading figure in the Pennsylvania School of Landscape Painting, a group centered around the village of New Hope in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The photograph to the right is the painting chosen by the graduating class.
Hover over and click image to zoom

For more information on Daniel Garber and his artwork click these highlighed links.

Photo Credit:
Daniel Garber
(American 1880 - 1958)
A Country Town
Oil on Canvas, 1923
Mount Holyoke College Art Museum,
South Hadley, Massachusetts
1964.249.I(b).PI
Photograph Petegrorsky / Gipe

Mary Lyon Hill in September, c. 1935, 24" x 40"
There is no doubt both paintings were made in the second
half of the summer from the date of the letter above (July 23rd).
The larger painting of this page one was first, probably late
August. The other canvas was made later, perhaps because
RSW was unsure of the first painting. Ultimately, he kept the
September painting and sent the large August painting to the
exhibit where despite not being selected was bought anyway.
It is the second painting to be bought in 1935. Another was
bought in March. See From a New England Pasture.

⮜ The Mary Lyon Hill painting above is often confused with another painting of Mary Lyon Hill, seen to the left. We believe or theorize that Mary Lyon Hill in September was made after but ultimately Woodward felt it was not sufficient for what would be essentially a competition. We feel that the painting to the left holds more qualities to Woodward's true interest, like the pale tone and clouds hovering just above the hill (a trope that appears often in a lot of his work), as well as being much more intimate due to its closer proximity than its larger and more square shaped counterpart, Mary Lyon's Hill.

A comparison of the two paintings is given in more detail on the Mary Lyon Hill in September artwork page. For our purposes here, we simply want to point out that the smaller painting of the two was kept by the artist in his own personal collection... and for its unique size it was framed furthering our point.