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Jasper F. Cropsey:
Watercolors |
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June 29 - July 31st, 2009 |
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On the Docks, Hastings,
1886, Jasper F. Cropsey, watercolor on paper |
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During the past few decades a renewed interest and
examination of Jasper Francis Cropsey’s work have cemented his status as
a leading member of the Hudson River School of Painting. Cropsey’s
career, like the other Hudson River School painters focused on oil
paintings depicting panoramic views of America, interspersed with some
European subjects and alleghorical paintings. Cropsey was one of the
more prolific painters of his time, completing approximately 2,000 oil
paintings in his career. |
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In 1985, the National Academy of Design organized an
exhibit of Cropsey watercolors, bringing to light a largely unkown
aspect of his art. In the years since the NAD exhibition, many exhibits
have featured Cropsey’s oil paintings and an exhibit here at the
Newington-Cropsey Foundation highlighted his architectural and design
efforts. Lest they be forgotten again, we feel it is important at this
time to revisit Cropsey’s watercolors as they remain an important part
of his artistic career as well as his life, in particular his time spent
in Hastings-on-Hudson, where most of his watercolors were created during
the last 15 years of his life. The watercolors of Hastings and the
surrounding area lend a somewhat more personal view of the artist. Many
of these works are views from Cropsey’s home, Ever Rest. From the
vantage point of Ever Rest, Cropsey painted glimpes of the Hudson River,
the Hastings waterfront, and the ravine on the adjacent property, which
is now the home of the Newington-Cropsey Foundation. As seen in this
exhibit and catalogue, Cropsey also revisited subjects he had painted or
sketched years before, capturing these views on a smaller scale in
watercolor. |
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Almost all of the watercolors in this exhibition are in
the Newington-Cropsey collection. I have tried to choose those that
reflect his later finished exhibition works but also some which
demonstrate his earlier use of watercolor in sketches and studies, in
addition to examples of his architectural and design renderings.
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Adelia Rasines
Executive Director, NCF
Summer 2009 |
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Lake George, 1896, Jasper F.
Cropsey, watercolor on paper |
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