Aaron Anderson
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Lot 31
Jane Peterson(1876-1965)In the Park 18 x 14 7/8in (45.7 x 37.8cm)
Withdrawn
Amended
20 May 2021, 16:00 EDT
New YorkUS$15,000 - US$20,000
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Aaron Bastian
Director
Kathy Wong
Senior Director, Fine Art
Jane Peterson (1876-1965)
In the Park
signed 'Jane Peterson' (lower left)
oil on canvasboard
18 x 14 7/8in (45.7 x 37.8cm)
Painted circa 1907.
signed 'Jane Peterson' (lower left)
oil on canvasboard
18 x 14 7/8in (45.7 x 37.8cm)
Painted circa 1907.
Footnotes
Provenance
Private collection, Florida.
Owen Gallery, New York.
Opal T. Adams, Georgetown, Texas, acquired from the above, circa 1997.
Sale, Bonhams, New York, November 29, 2011, lot 1081, sold by the above.
Acquired by the present owner from the above.
In the Park is an endearing example of Jane Peterson's work during her formative years as an artist. Like many of the young artists of her time, Peterson left America in the summer of 1907 on a grand tour of Europe to extend her artistic abilities. She travelled with former instructor, Henry Bayley Snell (1858-1943) whom she worked under at the Maryland Institute Schools of Art and Design beginning in 1906 and his wife Florence Snell (neé Francis) who was also an artist. Together, they visited the Cornish coast of England, Holland, northern Italy, and Venice. Europe captivated Peterson and she understood the opportunities it offered, not only to see the great art of the past and visit scenic locales, but to experience the developing movements in art of the early twentieth century. She also sought instruction from painters who could further her understanding of composition, form and the use of color. This led her to resign her Baltimore teaching position once the Snell's tour was over and, with the assistance of patron Alexander M. Hudnut (1861-1940), remained in Europe after the Snells' study-tour was over.
Peterson admired the work of Welsh artist Sir Farnk William Brangwyn (1867-1956) at the Venice Biennale and she returned to England to study with him at his London School of Art. It is believed that Peterson painted In the Park in London at this time and the work exhibits the influence of Brangwyn's painting technique and the use of line and color. In the present work, Peterson lovingly depicts a mother sitting on a park bench with her baby upright in a pram. The application of the different shades of purple that construct the background along with the bright greens that form the tree and park lawn are reminiscent of Brangwyn's technique. Furthermore, the use of line, shadow, and dynamic brushstrokes are reflective of his teachings. Brangwyn's influence can also be seen in her works depicting Venice and Gloucester Harbor. The subject of mothers and young children in a park or garden is one that Peterson would revisit numerous times throughout her career.
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