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EDWARD WILLIS REDFIELD
(American, 1869-1925)
Bucks County Winter, 1898
Oil on canvas
24 1/4 x 29 1/2"
Gift of Mattie Schmidt Bowyer in memory of her husband, Charles Henry Bowyer 1946.1.12

Edward Redfield was the leading spirit of the Pennsylvania “Impressionists,” and critics praised his matter-of-fact depictions that avoided sentiment and anecdotal detail. A Delaware native, Redfield moved to Philadelphia in his youth, and he spent the majority of his life near New Hope, Pennsylvania, in Bucks County. Later, he would become the leader of a colony of artists known as the New Hope Impressionists. He studied art in France, where he recalled that “our gods were painters like Degas and Monet.” While living in the art colony of Fontainebleau, he grew fascinated with the beauty of snow-covered landscapes, and this subject would become his signature theme after returning to the United States. Specifically, he chose to focus on the panoramic landscapes of Bucks County. A vigorous outdoorsman, Redfield painted on-site in Impressionist fashion. In his work, he allowed one “tone” to infuse the scene with color and mood. Bucks County Winter depicts a scene near Redfield’s home at New Hope, Pennsylvania. Its diffuse light of twilight and restrained color scheme are typical of the artist’s winter landscapes, which seem to dissolve amid the effects of light and weather.