J. Alden Weir at Branchville CT at Work, 1907
PainterPainted by
Louis Grosvernor Frink
American, 1869 - 1956
SubjectPortrait of
Julian Alden Weir
American, 1852 - 1919
Date1935
MediumDrawing; pencil, watercolor, and gouache on brown paper on cardboard
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (image height x width): 15 3/4 x 20in. (40 x 50.8cm)
Sheet (height x width): 15 3/4 x 20in. (40 x 50.8cm)
Mount (height x width): 15 3/4 x 20in. (40 x 50.8cm)
Sheet (height x width): 15 3/4 x 20in. (40 x 50.8cm)
Mount (height x width): 15 3/4 x 20in. (40 x 50.8cm)
ClassificationsGraphics
Credit LineN.C. Brainard Acquisition Fund and Seymour Museum Fund Income
DescriptionDrawing depicting a man (Julian Alden Weir) wearing a flat cap, brown coat, and dark trousers or boots. He is facing away from the viewers, and positioned in front of an easle and in the process of painting. The painted artist is situated in a grove of slender birch trees and before a rock formation.
Object number1973.25.37
MarkingsOn verso, stamped in black ink, "American Primitives / by Lou Frink / Windham, Conn. No. 37"InscribedOn verso, lower left, in pen, "J. Alden Weir / at Branchville CT / at work, 1907"Lower right, in pencil, accession number
[The notes written in pen on verso are in Lou’s handwriting; the pencil notes are not.]NotesIn 1882, art dealer Erwin Davis offered Julian Alden Weir a farmstead in Branchville, Connecticut, in exchange for one of Weir’s paintings and ten dollars. That same year, Weir met his future wife, Anna Baker, a Windham native. Although he initially intended to use the property only as a seasonal hunting lodge, he quickly grew attached to the serene landscape. The farm soon became the family’s primary residence, where Weir, Anna, and their three children lived for the next thirty‑six years.
Drawn from memory, Lou Frink remembered well the sight of J. Alden Weir at his easel. Indeed, the artist often invited young Lou to accompany him on painting excursions and visits to his art studio, experiences that surely left a lasting impression and fond memories.
Over the years, Lou Frink developed a close friendship with Julian Alden Weir. In Windham, the two lived as neighbors, and Frink eventually served as a caretaker on the Baker–Weir estate. Records, such as Weir’s correspondence, note that Lou and Julian frequently spent days at a time hunting and fishing together. Frink also often accompanied Weir on painting excursions and visits to his art studio. Given these shared experiences, it is unsurprising that many of Frink’s drawings depict scenes directly connected to Weir and his family, including works such as 1973.25.32, 1973.25.37, 1973.25.38, 1973.25.50, 1973.25.66, 1973.25.68, and 1973.25.89.
On View
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Louis Grosvernor Frink
