RSW's Diary Comments

Unnamed: Stonewalls Meet

"Painted prior to 1930. One of my favorite canvases but never very popular. Gaunt old windowless N. E. house with collapsed ell, behind, standing in sparse orchard, and before its gable end, a young, thrifty apple tree arising from the debris of the old house, like a phoenix from its ashes. Painted in November at the Hawley head of Apple Valley on John Howes property."

Comments on the back of a sepia print RSW wrote:

"One of my earlier canvases but I have always felt an important painting. To some, the subject matter may not seem cheerful but I was caught with the spirit of the young hope apple tree growing out of the fading beauty of the old house, phoenix-like."

Editor's Note:

This was not the only time Woodward was inspired by 'young hope' rising out of something fading to time. In the unnamed painting to the upper right, the artist painted a scene where young birch trees sprung out the remaining foundation of a burned down building. The painting was later given as a gift to the Trinity Church in Shelburne, MA, for the new church building. The previous church was lost to fire.

The artist also had a strong appreciation for the Phoenix and what it represented... rising out of the death or waste, the flames of disaster to find new life. Given his story, the explanation is not necessary.

Boston Globe, January 3, 1930, by A.J. Philpott

The year 1930 would be a big year for Woodward. It is Boston's 300^th birthday and there are many events scheduled to celebrate it. We do not know if this is part of that calendar of events but we do not believe it is. The celebration will kick off when Spring begins. Still, this event does feel like an effort to grab some of the attention Boston is receiving. The problem is that is it held just days after the New Year, in a month, honestly, reserved for lesser or newer artist on the scene. It could be that it was the only available opening for this new group and we have no record of Woodward participating with them thereafter, so we do not know if they survived their inaugural show. However, art critic Phil Philpott's praise of this painting is very favorable.

Boston Globe critic A.J. Philpott

"And there is no more vivid and luminous landscape in the exhibition than Mr. Woodward's The Old House and the Young Tree. That is a gem."

There is also a chalk drawing of this same scene titled The Young Tree and the Old House..