RSW's Diary Comments

"Painting made in about 1932 or 3. Made in the old studio before the fire, a still life, of loved old antiques. Hung for several years in the parlor of the Weldon Hotel over the piano. Very rich in color, my finest still-life. Shawl red, cream, gray and black; purple and red fuchsia in brass bucket, bottle, jade green; Greek tanagra tan."

Comments on back of sepia print:

"Very rich in color - my finest still life. Shaw - red, cream, gray and black; purple and red fuscia - in brass bucket; bottle, jade green; Greek tanagratan, old plate (My Grandmother's too) - red and green. As fine a piece of painting as I have done. _ _ _ _ $750.00"

The Hiram Woodward Place 1923- 1934

Springfield Sunday Union and Republican, Springfield, Mass., Feb. 14, 1932

My Grandmother's Lamp, a large still-life of antique bottles, lamp, plate, brass kettle etc., a fuchsia plant in bloom, all set out on an old cherry table draped with an old red plaid shawl."

Boston Herald, Aug. 13, 1933

"Variety, too, is present, and we see a change from pure landscape in the decorative still-life of My Grandmother's Lamp, with its clear piece of old Sandwich glass, its three pomegranates and china plate, all set off by the folds of a handsome black, white and red plaid shawl."

Below are two photos of RSW's diary entries during the days he painted My Grandmother's Lamp.

"[Sun.] Snow, sleet, rain - Started still life in studio in paint of old lamp, frucia, red plaid shawl, plate, bottle etc. Happy over my palette again. Henry brought mother + father up at 5:30 for supper here - then home at 9."

"[Tues.] Hovering around freezing, sunny and windy. Worked all day long in the studio on still life of the lamp.
It is going to be the most beautiful painting of the kind, whenever done -"