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Although clearly a studio painting, this work contains the grayed color Inness sought in his tonalist plein-air landscapes done while the artist was in Milton, Massachusetts in the early 1880s. The forms are created by numerous layers of thin color applied with a variety of touch, seen clearly in the large trees. Due to its remarkable state of preservation, the painting has retained the extremely subtle adjustments of light, color and texture that capture the effect of a landscape recently drenched by a thunderstorm, now clearing off. Despite the presence of ‘Montclair’ in the title of this and many other works from the period, the locations depicted are generally unknown. Instead, they offer spaces for contemplation and reflection, an idea captured in one of his key remarks from the 1880s:
“You must suggest to me reality, you can never show me reality.”
Exhibition History"Loan Collection of Paintings Owned by Citizens of Buffalo," Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, October 10-24, 1907, no. 75, illustrated.
"Seventh Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings by American Artists," Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, May 21-September 2, 1912, pp. 23, 39, no. 79, illustrated.
"Seventh Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings by American Artists," City Art Museum, St. Louis, MO, September 1912, p. 48, no. 62 (as Summer).
"Paintings by the Late George Inness Owned by Buffalonians," Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, December 14, 1918-March 1919.
"Exhibition of Paintings and Tapestries Collected by Mr. and Mrs. John J. Albright," Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, June 2-September 6, 1921, pp. 5, 15, no. 1, illustrated.
George Inness Centennial Exhibition, 1825-1925,"Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, October 30-November 30, 1925, no. 34.
Terra Museum of American Art, Chicago, IL, by 1995-2000, on loan.
ProvenanceMr. and Mrs. John J. Albright, Buffalo, New York, by 1907
George Bates Harrington, Chicago, Illinois, 1925-1960
By descent to Miss Mary Bates Harrington, Chicago, Illinois, until 1960
Estate of the above
Sold by the above at Christie's, New York, 25 May 2000, lot 43
Acquired by Edgar M. Bronfman, 2000-2013
Estate of Edgar M. Bronfman, 2013-2016
Thomas Colville Fine Art, LLC, New York, 2016-2024
Artist
George Inness
(American, 1825 - 1894)
Summer, Montclair
Date1887
MediumOil on canvas
DimensionsSight: 37 1/2 × 28 in. (95.3 × 71.1 cm)
Object numberN0005.2024(01)
Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of the Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw Charitable Trust
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextInness’ first international trip, in 1851, took him to Rome and Florence. In Florence, he met the portraitist William Page who introduced him to the writings of the Swedish scientist-turned-mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, which increasingly shaped his personal and aesthetic philosophy. During a stopover in Paris on his way back to New York, Inness was introduced to the Barbizon school. They offered an alternative to the more meticulous work of some of Inness’ contemporaries. While Inness was equally inspired by the idea of divine significance in nature, he was drawn to the fresh, loose brushwork and overt emotional tone of Barbizon paintings.Although clearly a studio painting, this work contains the grayed color Inness sought in his tonalist plein-air landscapes done while the artist was in Milton, Massachusetts in the early 1880s. The forms are created by numerous layers of thin color applied with a variety of touch, seen clearly in the large trees. Due to its remarkable state of preservation, the painting has retained the extremely subtle adjustments of light, color and texture that capture the effect of a landscape recently drenched by a thunderstorm, now clearing off. Despite the presence of ‘Montclair’ in the title of this and many other works from the period, the locations depicted are generally unknown. Instead, they offer spaces for contemplation and reflection, an idea captured in one of his key remarks from the 1880s:
“You must suggest to me reality, you can never show me reality.”
Exhibition History"Loan Collection of Paintings Owned by Citizens of Buffalo," Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, October 10-24, 1907, no. 75, illustrated.
"Seventh Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings by American Artists," Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, May 21-September 2, 1912, pp. 23, 39, no. 79, illustrated.
"Seventh Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings by American Artists," City Art Museum, St. Louis, MO, September 1912, p. 48, no. 62 (as Summer).
"Paintings by the Late George Inness Owned by Buffalonians," Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, December 14, 1918-March 1919.
"Exhibition of Paintings and Tapestries Collected by Mr. and Mrs. John J. Albright," Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, June 2-September 6, 1921, pp. 5, 15, no. 1, illustrated.
George Inness Centennial Exhibition, 1825-1925,"Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, October 30-November 30, 1925, no. 34.
Terra Museum of American Art, Chicago, IL, by 1995-2000, on loan.
ProvenanceMr. and Mrs. John J. Albright, Buffalo, New York, by 1907
George Bates Harrington, Chicago, Illinois, 1925-1960
By descent to Miss Mary Bates Harrington, Chicago, Illinois, until 1960
Estate of the above
Sold by the above at Christie's, New York, 25 May 2000, lot 43
Acquired by Edgar M. Bronfman, 2000-2013
Estate of Edgar M. Bronfman, 2013-2016
Thomas Colville Fine Art, LLC, New York, 2016-2024
On View
On view
