RSW's Diary Comments

The South Window, c. 1927

"Painted around 1925-27. Painting of shelf area with Chinese lantern over it, of old studio. Placed in the Founders Show of Grand Central Art Galleries about 1927 from which pictures are chosen by lot. I think this canvas went to one of the Crane families of Dalton, Mass., but am not absolutely certain."

Editor's Note:

As far as we can tell, this is the earliest painting of this scene inside Woodward's Hiram Woodward Studio. There are three other paintings that would follow:

• The South Window, c. 1927 ⮞
• The Studio Window, c. 1928
• Open Tulips, c. 1930

That makes this canvas, technically, his first known Still Life painting. The reason we make this dis-tinction is because the scene is no longer about the setting AND the scene outside the window. Still, we do include it in both galleries because of its connection to the two previous paintings made were the artist's first professionally made Window Pictures.

We also compared the two most closely linked paintings My Christmas Shelf and The South Window and noticed some differences, as slight as they are...

A side by side comparison of My Christmas Shelf and a cropped image of The South Window. If you click on the image a graphic will appear where we note that the leaves of the tall plant and the handle and placement of the red skaters lamp are not the same. The newspaper clipping we have simple does not show most items clearly enough to cite other differences. Also note that in the 1926 painting there is a painting hanging on the wall that does not appear in The South Window painting but this could simply be that The South Window canvas ends just before or cuts it off in such a way that Woodward excluded it. You can see that there is more pillow showing in one scene than the other.

The Springfield Union, September 24, 1927
by Jeanette Matthews

The Springfield Union, September 24, 1927
by Jeanette Matthews

"Among the finest pieces of work in this exhibit is My Christmas Shelf by Robert Strong Woodward of Shelburne Falls. Those who saw the league's last members' show will remember that this canvas was hung there. The picture is just what the name implies, a corner of the book shelves in the artist's own studio, with a gay silk lantern, a spray of holly, a plate of fruit and such things as one might have in a charming corner. Aside from the warmth of the coloring, the fascinating arrangement of pattern, it is the sureness of execution that proclaims this at once the work of the accomplished artist."

Editor's Notes:

⮜ In previous versions of this page the clipping showing the artwork to the left was incorrectly attributed to another article about regarding the Springfield Art League's Annual Exhibition held in March of each year, dated March 11, 1927. The mix up comes from Woodward's own hand writing in his personal scrapbooks being adjacent to the article. However, torn and tethered at the top was its correct date and source. The article published Mar. 11, 1927, was printed by the Springfield Sunday Mirror.

⮝ Furthermore, was have not altered the above clipping so that you can see the publisher's error of printing the picture backwards. We did need to ask ourselves if there was any chance Woodward did this intentionally. We know that some of the "Winter Evening Stream" paintings are other scenes in reverse. Ultimately, we believe this is unlikely because "My" Christmas Window is meant to be taken literally.