RSW's Diary Comments

A color photo from inside the
Heath garage which resembles the painting

"Painted summer of 1948 or '49. A painting very similar to Invitation (which see for almost duplicate description) a view of the beech tree and hills from the Pasture House garage doors, showing garage door open in shadow as a frame. Bought by Clifford A. Richmond about Sept. 1st 1951, and presented to the Easthampton (Mass.) Public Library."

Editor's Note:

This painting is believed to have been made specifically for Mr. Richmond to give the library as a gift. Its inspiration comes from a 1930 painting named Invitation. Invitation was very well reviewed by the New York City newspapers when it exhibited at the artist's 1942 showing at the Grand Central Gallery's Gotham Hotel location. The very same show that was held over a few days to accommodate the first lady at the time, Eleanor Roosevelt's visit to the gallery. We are currently investigating whether Invitation was part of the Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, or if it was the Judge Baker Guidance Center, also in Boston. Its last known location was in the office of both organizations' director, Dr. George Gardner in 1957.

A color photo of the pasture cabin with its
attached garage for a contrasting perspective.

This painting hangs in the Emily Williston Memorial Library in Easthampton Massachusetts.

The image above and to the left was located in a group of color slides found in the Smithsonian Institute. The slides hold the ONLY color images we have from Woodward's time! The pictures were taken by close friend and amateur photographer F. Earl Williams on one of his visits during the late 1930s, early 40s. Kodak ChromaColor was relatively new at the time. It was launched in 1935 and was the industry standard well into the 1980s. We believe the photos were given as part of Williams collection of Woodward material (pictures, RSW's painting diary, etc.).

A photograph of the Double Victory trees

We have identified a number of photographs in RSW's personal items that resemble or can be linked to specific paintings in his catalog leaving us asking what role photography played in creating these paintings. Did he use them as a reference? Or during a bout of poor weather, did he turn to the photos to work on till he could get back out in the open air? For this particular painting... did he pull out the photograph to paint this painting so many years after Invitation?

Double Victory