Quick Reference
c. 1945
"The Little East Window"
Southwick Studio
Buckland, MA
Oil on Canvas
Landscape
Window Picture Painting
25" X 30"
No, this was commissioned.
Mary B. Murray
NA
Related Links
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Window Picture Gallery to view related pieces.
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Southwick Studio Then and Now...
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Snow on the Ground Gallery to view related pieces.
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Apples Gallery to view related pieces.
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The Evolution of the Window Picture Paintings
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Featured Artwork: New Snow in the Orchard
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RSW's Diary Comments
My Winter Window Shelf, c. 1945
There is also a Scrapbook page about this canvas.
Editor's Note:
This window picture painting recently came up for sale being offered on eBay (final sale date
was Apr. 12, 2026). There was competitive bidding for it and it sold for $16,455.00 (an appreciation of 60.7%
after adjusting for inflation). As it should because not only is it gorgeous and in excellent condition, but it
is only the third window picture painting to hit the open market in thirty-three years!
This was a
previously unknown painting but that is not entirely accurate. It's owner, who commissioned the painting, is
mentioned in a letter Woodward wrote to his good friends, the Pettises'. Woodward describes her visit to the
studio with her husband, and Woodward friend Earl Williams but there was nothing we could do... we did not know
if the painting was ever finished, or what its name was. There is no painting diary entry for the painting, or
sepia print, so we had no name to go by (sepias were usually reserved for paintings that exhibited anyway). We
had next to nothing to work with. Heck, if it weren't for the Pettis painting,
My Winter Window Shelf, being in the studio during the visit... we would not have had a letter.
Additional Notes
- Letter by RSW to his friends, the Pettises, Nov. 18, 1945 ⮟ and accompanying pictures of the back of canvas
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts
November 18th, 1945
Dear Edward & Win Pettis - while waiting for Earl and Ruth Williams, this Sunday afternoon, to arrive with the Murrays from Gardner (Oh! how I wish you were to be along!) I'll try to get a letter started to you, which I've been trying to get penned since the first of the week. Your masterpiece of a window painting is the subject matter! Before branching into the more immediate matter in my mind, let's talk about the title of the canvas a bit - really in answer to a letter from you of a number of weeks ago. You, in this letter, suggested the title "Robert Strong Woodward's Winter Window Shelf" and gave your reasons why you liked this. I have to frankly confess I do not like it just that way, as it seems quite awkward and long and forced. From the beginning I've like the title "My Winter Window Shelf" and suggested it to you, asking if you felt it a bit too personal. Now you can't really feel it is, since you suggest "Robert Strong Woodward's Winter Window Shelf"! The word "My" (instead of "R.S.W") says the same thing after all, seems much more wieldy and euphonious than your suggestion - and after all actually calls attention to quieries [sic] about who the artist may be - and is - than if you stated pointblank the long name. So don't you, after all, feel satisfied with "My Winter Window Shelf" as a title for your painting? I hope you do.
* * *
Well at this point our Gardner friends have come and gone - leaving at 6.15. The Murrays fairly worshipped your window picture - so much (over) so, it seems, they wouldn't buy anything else! Mrs. Murray gave a definite order for a window picture similar to yours, saying she will buy it the moment I make one. Although she wants a red geranium, she wants different accessories - i.e., suggests a red glass lamp in place of the lavender bottle, etc. But she does want the Williams glass apple! What are we going to do about this? Do you mind? Of course no two pictures ever turn out exactly alike anyway - and I'll leave out the tin cup, the lavendar bottle - and will put in different books. I[t] won't really be more like yours, than yours is like Mrs. Smith's!!
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The back of the stretcher. Painting name
is on the upper left with Mrs. Murray's name
next to it. The canvas is in great condition.
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A close up of the painting name on stretcher
in RSW's handwriting. To its right is...
marys_nameLG.png?url=photos/new_snow_in_the_orchard(26)marys_nameLG.png)
...the buyers name in cursive, but not RSW's
handwriting. We have never seen this before.
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Left to right: Brian, Peter, and Larch
A special thanks to Lisa with Rhode Island Internet
Consignment and Sales for all their consideration!
⮝ Above we under line the portion of the letter Woodward wrote to the Pettises where he makes clear that Mrs. Murray wanted an east window painting like the one made for them (seen in the section above). Woodward adds that Mrs. Murray wants different "accessories," but other than the geranium and red lamp none of the other items made the painting. Note also, that Woodward respectfully asked the Pettises if they minded, as a courtesy we are sure. After all, the Pettises did exactly the same thing as Mrs. Murray basically saying to Woodward after seeing another east window painting, 'we want one of those." Not uncommon for a window painting.
★ This painting came up for sale on eBay.com in April 2026. It garnered a great deal of attention with bids beginning immediately and was being watched by more than 200 people. Ultimately, it sold for an impressive $16,455, a 60% appreciation after adjusting for inflation. it was the third painting to top this plateau in the last three years. We had the honor of visiting the painting during the sale and it is just beautiful.