Edward Willis Redfield (American, 1869-1965). Spring Valley. Oil on canvas. 29-3/4 x 36 inches (75.6 x 91.4 cm). Signed ...

Description

Edward Willis Redfield (American, 1869-1965)
Spring Valley
Oil on canvas
29-3/4 x 36 inches (75.6 x 91.4 cm)
Signed lower right: E.W. Redfield
Signed and titled indistinctly on the stretcher: E.W. Redfield Spring Valley M[...]

Property from the Nelkin Collection

In the landscape of American Impressionism, Edward Willis Redfield remains a distinctive voice, particularly celebrated for his vigorous approach to plein air painting, a hallmark of his unique interpretation of Pennsylvania Impressionism. Spring Valley, a work exuding serene beauty, captures the quietude of a rural winter transitioning into the thaw of spring. Redfield's characteristic technique-applying thick, impasto brushstrokes-infuses the scene with a sense of immediacy and vivacity, a quality that aligns him with the French Impressionists, yet distinctly positions him within the American context.

Redfield's dedication to painting en plein air, regardless of weather conditions, allowed him to translate the ephemeral quality of light and atmosphere onto his canvas with authenticity. In Spring Valley, this commitment is evident; the snow, clinging to the shadowy sides of buildings and the landscape, appears to shimmer against the muted winter sky. The viewer can almost feel the crisp air and the quiet anticipation of the season's change. It is this embodiment of the moment that Redfield scholar Dr. Thomas Folk celebrates in his study of Redfield, stating, "His canvases are more than mere representations; they are alive with the breath of the landscape they depict." (Edward Redfield: Just Values and Fine Seeing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1996, p. 89)

Redfield's work does not merely depict the idyllic; it grapples with the rawness of nature and the human imprint upon it. The figures, dwarfed by the sturdy, enduring structures of Spring Valley, go about their day, oblivious to the observer. This choice reflects Redfield's inclination to incorporate human elements as organic aspects of the landscape, not as dominant features but as part of the larger tapestry of life.

Spring Valley stands as a testament to Redfield's artistic mastery and his connection to the Pennsylvania landscape. His brushwork is both bold and deliberate, a visual symphony of color and form that captures the transient beauty of a moment suspended between seasons. Through this work, Redfield asserts his role not only as an observer of the Pennsylvanian scenery but as its interpreter, translating the silent language of nature into the visual vernacular of Impressionism. His work invites contemplation on the interaction between humanity and nature, a subject that continues to resonate in the discourse of American art.

The present painting will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Edward Redfield's works being compiled by Dr. Thomas Folk.




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