The White Bridge
1895
oil
canvas
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
About the artist
Artist
John Henry Twachtman
American, Cincinnati, Ohio 1853–1902 Gloucester, Massachusetts
See the richer artist page1895
oil
canvas
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
The White Bridge is a 1895 oil by John Henry Twachtman, a American Impressionism work, held at Art Institute of Chicago.
The painting shows a small white bridge in a natural setting. It's surrounded by trees and a brook. The artist painted this scene many times, but each version is a bit different. The bridge is loosely rendered with feathery brushstrokes of green and brown. The artist used expanses of unprimed canvas to create a sense of texture. This technique gives the scene a soft, natural feel. You can learn more about the artist's use of light and texture by looking into the technique of glazing.
The White Bridge depicts Horseneck Brook, which traversed John Henry Twachtman's Connecticut property. The artist painted at least six versions of the bridge over the course of six years; however, its shape is slightly different in each work. Twachtman may have altered the actual bridge or simply changed its appearance in each painting. Loosely rendered with feathery brushstrokes of green and rich brown, and incorporating expanses of unprimed canvas, this scene captures the rapid growth and verdant blossoming of spring.
Alexander Morton, New York, by 1916; American Art Galleries, New York, 1916; Macbeth Galleries, New York, 1916; sold to Martin A. Ryerson (1856–1932), Chicago, 1916; by descent to his wife Carrie Hutchinson Ryerson (1859–1937), Chicago, 1932 [ Last Will and Testament of Martin A. Ryerson, Died August 11, 1932 , copy in Institutional Archives, Art Institute of Chicago]; bequeathed to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1937.
New York School of Applied Design for Women, Exhibition of Fifty Paintings by the late John H. Twachtman, Jan. 15–Feb. 15, 1913, no. 36. Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Exhibition of Paintings and Pastels by the Late John H. Twachtman, Mar. 11–Apr. 2, 1913, no. 27 as The Bridge. New York, American Art Galleries, Paintings by Ancient and Modern Masters, May 4–9, 1916 (?), no. 78 as The White Bridge. Detroit, Michigan, The Detroit Institute of Arts (formerly Detroit Museum of Art), Catalogue of the Fourth Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings by American Artists, Apr. 9 – May…
Read the full account in the museum source.
American, Cincinnati, Ohio 1853–1902 Gloucester, Massachusetts
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