The Wood Chopper
Signed and dated lower left: E. Johnson – 68
Description
The presence of dense woods and a snow-covered landscape in The Wood Chopper, painted in 1868, lead one to speculate that it was inspired by one of Eastman Johnson’s visits to Maine during the decade. As with much of his genre work, the scene is a quiet tribute to American industriousness expressed through Johnson’s attention to detail in rendering the play of sunlight and shadow on the landscape, the pieces of wood strewn across the snow, and the individuality of the subject himself. The care Johnson took transcribing these elements, along with the sturdy posture of the man and the sense of pride he conveys in accomplishing a difficult but essential chore of rural life, demonstrate the respect the artist felt for his fellow Americans who inhabit his paintings.
Provenance
Antiques dealer, Boston, Massachusetts
To Vose Galleries, Boston, inventory no. 20325, February 1961
To private collection, Westwood, Massachusetts, February 1961
By gift to collector’s son, Westwood, Massachusetts, 2013 to present
Inscriptions
Labels
Previous Vose Galleries label, inventory no. 20325
Exhibitions
Literature
Condition
Excellent. The painting was conserved in September 2012. It was cleaned, the board was pressed to address slight bowing, and there are minimal scattered thin lines and dashes of in-paint, mostly in the snow at the bottom, with a few small dots in the figure’s pants.
