Norwalk Island
1863
19th Century
14 1/2 in. x 21 in.
George Loring Brown,
American,
(1814–1889)
Medium and Support:
oil on paper mounted on canvas
Credit Line:
Florence Griswold Museum, Gift of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
Accession Number:
2002.1.15
In his finished paintings, certain areas often are boldly brushed in with seperate strokes while others are painstakingly detailed, resulting in a clash of technique within the painting. This clash is
present in the "View of Norwalk Islands" (No. 15), which must rank as one of Brown's best paintings. Not only is "View of Norwalk Islands" inconsistent with handling, it also contains gross errors in scale. The sailboat at right center, for example, seems no larger than a toy. In spite of these incongruities, however, it is a charming picture. The sparkling clarity of the cool atmosphere, the richness of the forms built up with many colors, and the broad, panoramic composition, with small points of interest in a zig-zag line across the bay, create an attractive and surprisingly harmonious landscape.