Featured Artwork: Evening Mists

RSW's Diary Comments

Evening Mists, Sepia

"Painted in 1945. Woodland interior with black stream turning through snow banks, made during the winter of 1945 in the studio from an older upright of the same subject made many years ago, but technically imperfect. Original destroyed when above painting was completed. Evening sky from orange through yellow to blue, back of the openings in the trees. Sold in Dec., 1947, by Grand Central Art Galleries to..."

Additional Remarks:

Woodward never finished this entry so we do not know who purchased this painting. It did come up for auction recently (Oct 2016).

Grand Central Gallery Label

The name found on the stretcher, in pencil

This painting was recently (Nov. 2016) brought to our attention by its new owner after being bought at auction. Until now, we only had a sepia print (seen above) for our records.

This quintessential Redgate painting is one of four paintings with the same pond and winter scene. However, the paintings vary between portrait and landscape perspectives. They were all painted at a time when this practice was common for Woodward, with exception to this painting, Evening Mists, which was repainted in 1945 from an earlier version and promptly destroying it . He often made multiple versions of paintings that were either successful in selling quickly or held a particular sentimental value to him. After the 1930s, it was rare for Woodward to make multiple versions of a painting unless by request or commission.

Spline insert of the Newcomb-Macklin frame

The painting is in excellant condition and is still in its orginal Newcomb-Macklin frame. Newcomb-Macklin is known for its use of the spline inserts on its corners securing the right angles of the frame's corners (seen in picture to the left).

Addendum- January, 12, 2017

Shortly after the discovery of this painting another near exact version came to us through its current owner named, Tranquil Hour. As far as we can tell they are as similar as can be with the exception in hue and color. It is hard to say if both paintings are of setting suns or if tranquil hour is a sunrise, however, the colors of the sun are different, one being yellow and the other a pink.