RSW's Diary Comments

An excerpt from RSW's diary comments for The Potter Homestead.

"Painted 1937. One of the many paintings I made this season of 1937 through Macbeth for a Mr. Garvan who wished to present a collection of paintings to Yale University showing the growth of architecture (largely churches but also of fine dwellings) in America. I made many of this series but Mr. Garvan suddenly died before he could honor his contract with me, much to my loss. Since I could now sell them privately the above canvas was bought by the owner of the house itself, Mrs. Arthur D. Potter, of 486 Main Street, Greenfield, Mass. and hangs in her beautiful drawing room."

There are 3 known paintings of the Potter homestead, 2 oils and 1 chalk drawing. One of the paintings was intended to be part of the Francis Garvin commission. Garvin, through the MacBeth Galleries, commissioned Woodward to paint historically significant New England architecture demonstrating its "growth." The series was to focus mostly on churches but include certain "fine dwellings." RSW only painted 3 churches in oil before Garvin's unexpected and sudden death (there were, we believe, a number of unfinished paintings - 1 oil and 2 chalks plus a sketch in pencil) and as far as we know the was the only home. Photographs of the Potter Homestead were found in RSW's personal items along with pictures of the Bennington Church, we believe to work from in his studio.

Side by side pictures of the Potter House found in Woodward's personal photographs