The Great River:
Art & Society of the Connecticut Valley, 1635-1820
by Ward, Gerald W.R. and William N. Hosley, Jr.
Published by Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, 1985. First edition, exhibition catalog. Very good trade paperback. Tight binding, solid spine, a few markings, light rubbing marks to cover. Large 4to, profusely illustrated with 13 color plates and over 200 black and white photographs, 524 pages.
In the autumn of 1985 the Wadsworth Atheneum mounted what would become a landmark exhibition celebrating nearly two centuries of regional artistry. This comprehensive catalog documents 353 items representing the full spectrum of decorative, useful, and fine arts from the Connecticut Valley, creating an unparalleled survey of American material culture from the Puritan settlement through the early Federal period. The exhibition consummated a quest that inspired museum professionals to pursue careers dedicated to preserving America's artistic heritage, and this weighty tome serves as the definitive record of that achievement. The Connecticut River Valley, stretching from Long Island Sound to the Canadian border, fostered distinctive regional traditions in furniture making, architecture, silver smithing, portraiture, folk arts, and gravestone carving that rivaled the coastal centers of Boston and Newport. Gerald Ward and William Hosley, both distinguished scholars of American decorative arts, have assembled here the finest examples of Connecticut Valley craftsmanship: the sinuous curves of Hadley chests, the austere elegance of Federal silver, the haunting beauty of carved slate memento mori, and portraits that capture the steadfast gaze of Puritan divines and merchant princes alike. Each entry provides scholarly documentation, provenance, and cultural context, transforming what might have been a simple catalog into an essential reference work. For collectors of American decorative arts, this represents the most thorough examination of Connecticut Valley material culture ever assembled, a region whose artisans developed distinctive stylistic vocabularies that speak to both Puritan restraint and emerging American prosperity. The catalog's scholarly apparatus and comprehensive photography make it indispensable for anyone serious about understanding regional American craftsmanship.
Loc: A6
The Great River:
Art & Society of the Connecticut Valley, 1635-1820
by Ward, Gerald W.R. and William N. Hosley, Jr.
Published by Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, 1985. First edition, exhibition catalog. Very good trade paperback. Tight binding, solid spine, a few markings, light rubbing marks to cover. Large 4to, profusely illustrated with 13 color plates and over 200 black and white photographs, 524 pages.
In the autumn of 1985 the Wadsworth Atheneum mounted what would become a landmark exhibition celebrating nearly two centuries of regional artistry. This comprehensive catalog documents 353 items representing the full spectrum of decorative, useful, and fine arts from the Connecticut Valley, creating an unparalleled survey of American material culture from the Puritan settlement through the early Federal period. The exhibition consummated a quest that inspired museum professionals to pursue careers dedicated to preserving America's artistic heritage, and this weighty tome serves as the definitive record of that achievement. The Connecticut River Valley, stretching from Long Island Sound to the Canadian border, fostered distinctive regional traditions in furniture making, architecture, silver smithing, portraiture, folk arts, and gravestone carving that rivaled the coastal centers of Boston and Newport. Gerald Ward and William Hosley, both distinguished scholars of American decorative arts, have assembled here the finest examples of Connecticut Valley craftsmanship: the sinuous curves of Hadley chests, the austere elegance of Federal silver, the haunting beauty of carved slate memento mori, and portraits that capture the steadfast gaze of Puritan divines and merchant princes alike. Each entry provides scholarly documentation, provenance, and cultural context, transforming what might have been a simple catalog into an essential reference work. For collectors of American decorative arts, this represents the most thorough examination of Connecticut Valley material culture ever assembled, a region whose artisans developed distinctive stylistic vocabularies that speak to both Puritan restraint and emerging American prosperity. The catalog's scholarly apparatus and comprehensive photography make it indispensable for anyone serious about understanding regional American craftsmanship.
Loc: A6
