Jasper Francis Cropsey

with Louis R. Menger, New York
DeWitt Clinton Littlejohn, Oswego, New York
Kende Galleries, Gimbel Brothers, New York
Francis D. Culkin, Oswego, New York (acquired from the above, circa 1935)
By descent from the above, the grandparents of the present owners

Kentucky, Louisville Industrial Exposition, September 1 - October 16, 1875, no. 134

The following condition report has been provided on September 23rd, 2014, by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's: This work was last restored in 1991. At that time it was lined, using Beva-371 as an adhesive, and presumably cleaned and varnished. The paint layer is in particularly good condition. There is no sign of abrasion or weakness to the paint layer. This is notable particularly in the sky, where thinness does often develop in Cropsey's work. Under ultraviolet light, there are a few specks of isolated retouching in the sky and a couple of small spots at the lower right edge. The dark colors in the lower corners, including the signature and date, bear an older varnish. This painting can easily be hung as is. It may clean slightly, but the condition is excellent.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

According to Kenneth Maddox of the Newington-Cropsey Foundation, The Greenwood Lake was likely painted on the southwestern shores of this body of water that borders northern New Jersey and southern New York.  The lake was a frequent subject for Cropsey as his wife's family lived in the area and his father-in-law built the artist a studio on their property.  Other portrayals of Greenwood Lake by Cropsey can be found in the collections of the de Young Museum, San Francisco; the New York Historical Society and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington.  Between 1869 and 1876, one of the artist’s most successful periods, Cropsey’s representations of the American landscape favored a more poetic approach as opposed to a strictly topographical one.  While the present depiction of the lake is accurately portrayed, the mountainous foreground is fictitious.

The Greenwood Lake was most likely framed by Louis R. Menger, whose label appears on the reverse of the painting’s frame, which in turn appears contemporaneous with the stretcher bars.  Menger was a framer and art dealer based at 22 Dey Street in New York and both a friend and collector of Cropsey’s work.  During the 1850s Menger was known to occasionally represent the artist’s paintings as a dealer and may have done so for The Greenwood Lake.

In addition to the Menger label, the frame bears an original label addressing the work to “Littlejohn” of “14 Bronson St”.  According to the 1974 Journal of the Oswego County Historical Society, DeWitt Clinton Littlejohn resided in a red brick house on Bronson Street, which was later occupied by the Veterans of Foreign War.  Today, that house still stands at 14 Bronson Street and is still the home of the V.F.W.  DeWitt C. Littlejohn began his career as a merchant in Oswego, but soon turned his efforts toward politics, becoming Mayor of Oswego from 1849 to 1855 and then member of the New York State Assembly, where he served as Speaker.  During the American Civil War, Littlejohn recruited and eventually lead, as Colonel, the 110th New York Volunteer Infantry.  Following the war, he was elected to the House of Representatives, serving from 1863 to 1865, during which time he chaired the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions.

Ironically, The Greenwood Lake later came to be owned by another member of the House of Representatives, Francis D. Culkin, who, according to a 1945 Oswego Palladium-Times, lived just down the road from Congressman Littlejohn’s original residence.  This appears to be coincidence, as family lore has it that Congressman Culkin purchased the painting in the 1930s from Gimbel Brothers in New York City.  Like Littlejohn, Culkin also served for a time in the military, with the New York Army National Guard in the Spanish-American War.  Following his service, Culkin served as Secretary of the Oswego Civil Service Commission, eventual became District Attorney, from 1911 to 1921, and later judge of Oswego County.  Culkin was elected to the House of Representatives in 1928 and served until his death in 1943.