Artwork
Berks County Almshouse, 1878
Berks County Almshouse, 1878 is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Charles C. Hofmann. It dates from 1878 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Charles C.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right: 1878-Charles Hofman [sic], Painter.; upper center, on banner: VIRTUE, LIBERTY & INDEPENDENCE!; upper center, just above banner: PENSYLVANIA; lower center: VIEWS OF THE BUILDINGS & SURROUNDINGS / OF THE BERKS-COUNTY-ALMS-HOUSE. 1878.; along bottom of small scenes, clockwise beginning at lower left: Tenant-house No. II.; School-house.; Cemetery; Tenant hous [sic] No. I.; Western-View of the new Hospital.; Tenant-house No. III.; Kitchen-supplying spring, & Reservoir:; Grein barn:
About this work
A small house stands behind a single tree in a plain, quiet scene. Charles C. Hofmann painted it in oil on zinc in 1878, recording everyday life rather than any grand event.
History & Provenance
After Hartgen’s death, the painting passed to Bert Frame of Reading, Pennsylvania, who sold it in 1947 to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch.
The work was painted in 1878 by Charles C. Hofmann, who had firsthand experience of the Berks County Almshouse during the 1870s as a resident. Jacob Hartgen, the almshouse baker, acquired the painting directly from the artist and retained it from 1878 until his death in 1925. After Hartgen’s death, the painting passed to Bert Frame of Reading, Pennsylvania, who sold it in 1947 to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch.
The Garbisches later donated the painting to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1953, where it remains in the collection.
Charles C. Hofmann's 1878 oil on zinc panel titled Berks County Almshouse is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The work entered the museum in 1953 as a gift from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, becoming part of the institution’s collection. It has been shown in the Gallery’s collection displays, appearing in exhibitions of 19th‑century American portraiture. The painting’s provenance traces to Jacob Hartgen of Reading, Pennsylvania, who owned it from 1878 until 1925, after which it passed through several private hands before its 1947 sale to the Garbisches.
Overview
Charles C. Hofmann's painting, Berks County Almshouse, 1878, presents a direct depiction of a rural structure. Executed in oil on zinc, this 1878 work focuses on a modest building accompanied by a single tree. The artist's choice of subject matter and medium contributes to the work's straightforward character, offering a glimpse into a specific locale from the late 19th century.
Subject & Meaning
The painting centers on a small, unassuming house, with a prominent tree positioned directly before it. Hofmann rendered this scene without overt drama or narrative complexity, instead emphasizing the quiet presence of the structure within its environment. This approach highlights an ordinary moment, inviting contemplation of daily existence rather than grand events or symbolic gestures, characteristic of certain realist tendencies.
Technique & Style
Hofmann employed oil paint on a zinc support for Berks County Almshouse, 1878. The use of zinc as a substrate, rather than more common canvas or wood, can influence the surface quality and durability of the painting. This choice, combined with the artist's unadorned rendering of the subject, contributes to the work's direct and unpretentious visual style, aligning with its portrayal of an everyday setting.
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