Thomas Worthington Whittredge

Private Collection
Kennedy Galleries, New York

Anthony F. Janson, Worthington Whittredge, Cambridge, 1989, pp. 91-92, illustrated

Condition Report from Simon Parkes Conservation, Inc. (4/13/15): This work has not been particularly well restored. The canvas has a wax lining. The retouches are a little uneven. As is typical for Whittridge, his technique is slightly complex. In the landscape and foreground, the only damage is in the lower center, where there is a small break in the canvas with associated restorations. There is another small restoration in the dark trees in the lower left. There are intermittent small dots of retouching throughout the sky. There is very slight thinness in the center of the sky and perhaps in the mountains on the right side. If the lining were changed, the wax could be drained from the canvas, which would improve the paint layer. In addition, one could clean the picture and be more focused about how the retouches are applied and to what degree. Although the work needs some attention and has received some, the condition is good.
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.

With regard to the present work, Anthony F. Janson mentions that, "Around 1864-5, Whittredge painted two superb landscapes of Kauterskill Clove...The site can be identified from a drawing from 1861 in one of his sketchbooks and from Sanford Gifford's paintings of the falls....In fact, it is possible that the two artists were working side by side".  The site had special significance beyond its obvious natural beauty.  It was the location of James Fenimore Cooper's popular 1823 novel, The Pioneers, and after its publication became a pilgrimage site for the Hudson River School artists, among them Thomas Cole and Asher B. Durand. (see Anthony F. Janson, op. cit., pp 91-92).