SPOTLIGHT:
Exhibition
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Paper Trail: American Prints, Drawings, and Watercolors Florence Griswold Museum. September 29, 2018–January 27, 2019
WORKS ON PAPER HAVE REPRESENTED
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Gift of Charles T. Clark
of American art. At the same time, sketches
a key component of the Florence Griswold
and other works on paper are foundations of
Museum’s collection since the Lyme Art
the creative process, often the first step on
Colony’s heyday when artists gathered in
the “trail” that leads to a finished artwork.”
the parlor of Florence Griswold’s board-
The show opens with a display of more than
inghouse to play the “Wiggle Game,”
twenty “Wiggle Drawings,” chosen from
drawing spirited caricatures that became
a collection of over one hundred and fifty.
the “founding documents” of the future
Many examples are humorous, while others
Museum’s holdings. Paper Trail: American
reflect historical trends and social interests,
Prints, Drawings, and Watercolors, orga-
such as Arthur Heming’s lassoing cowboy or
nized by Assistant Curator Jennifer Stettler
Allen Butler Talcott’s buffalo hunter, which thematize the American West. The exhibition
Parsons, Ph.D., follows the “paper trail” of acquisitions and gifts of works on paper made to the institution over its history. The exhibition is on view September 29, 2018
Gift of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
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has been made possible with the generous support of the State of Connecticut through the Consortium of Connecticut Art Museums,
through January 27, 2019. The collection has
and the Rudolph and John Dirks Fund. Addi-
grown in scope to include works created with
tional support has been generously provided
ink, graphite, watercolor, and pastel on paper
by a group of donors to the Exhibition Fund.
from the 18th century to the present. The exhibition features several of the Museum’s
PAINTING ON PAPER
capsule collections by artists including Fide-
While watercolor painting was a pastime
lia Bridges, Chauncey F. Ryder, and Thomas
popular with children and amateurs, it was
Nason. “Paper Trail celebrates collection
long disregarded by fine artists. At the
highlights and presents hidden gems rarely
annual exhibitions of American academies,
displayed because of the fragility of works on
modestly scaled watercolors were outshone
paper,” notes Parsons. “The works on view reflect how the achievements of Connecticut’s artists on paper align with the history 20 20
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE CONTEMPORARY
by monumental oils and sculptures. Yet the Gift of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
medium of watercolor was utilized daily by illustrators, architects, and designers, and
