RSW's Diary Comments

None.

A close up of the RSW's signature with filigree

The current owner of this chalk drawing attended the 2010 Robert Strong Woodward exhibition in Buckland and informed us that he owned the above chalk. In 2011, we were invited to his home and took the photographs above and to the right.

A close up of the filigree border. This along with
the drawing being framed against the glass
dates the piece to the 1920's.

The current owner had greatly admired the chalk on frequent visits to the Cambridge home of Virginia and Alec Dole over many years starting in 1959. Virginia had inherited her Cambridge home from her aunt Justine Kershaw (formerly Justine Frances Houghton) along with its contents which included "Summer Shadows". Justine Frances Houghton Kershaw was the daughter of Henry Oscar Houghton, one of the founders of the Houghton Mifflin publishing Company. After the deaths of Virginia and Alec Dole "Summer Shadows" was given to the current owner and now hangs in his home in Connecticut.

The drawing appears to be one of the earlier Robert Strong Woodward chalk drawings. There is a hand-drawn chalk filigree border around the drawing and it appears that the chalk is in contact with the glass mounted on the top. We believe that this dates the drawing to the 1920s. The current owner is investigating having the drawing re-framed and remounted with a space between the chalk drawing and the glass.

Click here for a high resolution image of drawing

All of us in the RSW family wish to extend our highest appreciation to the current owners for graciously opening their home to us for these beautiful images. Thank you.