Collections Database

Label Text:
For its earliest viewers, living in the period of rapid industrialization following the Civil War, Hovenden’s dignified portrayal of a traditional craftsman must have conveyed a sense of nostalgia for an earlier time. Yet the artist’s expressive handling and muted palette prevent the subject from descending into mere sentimentality. Regrettably, Hovenden’s promising talent was cut short by his untimely death: he was run down by a railroad locomotive while attempting to save the life of a ten-year-old girl playing on the tracks.
EEB, 2008

Subjects:
Canvas

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=AC+1978.71

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.