Winslow Homer

According to Abigail Gerdts, "Lucy Houghton Valentine (1823-1911) married Lawson Valentine (1828-1891) in 1851 . . . Lawson Valentine is well known as one of Homer's first and most staunch patrons, as was his brother, Henry. . . Lucy Valentine may have been at least her husband's full partner in appreciating Homer's work. It should be noted that she was credited as the owner-lender of a Homer Sketch (now The Flock of Sheep, Houghton Farm, 3:No. 728) to the American Water Color Society annual exhibition of 1879. In the spring of 1892, within a year following her husband's death she lent nine of their Homers to the New York Athletic Club's annual loan exhibition, and remained throughout her lifetime, a generous lender of the many Homers she inherited" (Record of Works by Winslow Homer: 1883 Through 1889, vol. IV.2, New York, 2012, p. 230). In a letter to previous owner, Richard Namon, Lloyd Goodrich continued on this subject, "At Lawson's country estate in Mountainville, New York, near Cornwall, named Houghton Farm, Winslow Homer spent the summer of 1878, painting many watercolors." (letter dated May 23, 1984).

Two letters of correspondence between Winslow Homer and the sitter Lucy Houghton Valentine, dated January 20th and 26th, 1883, refer to appointments for her sitting for the present work. This correspondence is now in the Colby College Museum of Art Library.