BY THE LAKE

Object Description

Ernest Parton
American, (1845–1933)
By the Lake
Oil on canvas, signed, exhibition label verso
Image size: 29 inches x 45 inches
Size including frame: 43 inches x 59 inches

Object History

Exhibited at the New Gallery Summer Exhibition 1904

Object Literature

A fantastic large scale exhibition piece in its original Watt’s frame by Ernest Parton.
Ernest Parton was an American landscape painter who was born in Hudson, New York in 1845. He was the brother of Arthur Parton (1842-1914), the impressionist painter and Henry Parton (1858-1933), also a landscape painter. He studied under his brother who had been a pupil of William Trost Richards. Arthur was a member of the Hudson River School and Ernest often accompanied him and the members when they worked out of doors painting directly from nature, benefitting directly from their advice and guidance.

Around 1865, he started working at his brother’s studio in Broadway and began exhibiting works at the National Academy of Design. In 1873, he travelled to England initially just to visit but ended up settling there. He specialised in painting landscapes and was interested in the effects of light on the landscape, particularly on water and trees as in this wonderful example. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1874 and also at Suffolk Street, New Watercolour Society, Grosvenor Gallery, New Gallery, Royal Institute, Dowdeswell Galleries and Arthur Tooth & Sons Gallery. He also exhibited at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters where he was elected a member in 1883.

Parton lived at 3 Brunswick Square and also lived in France for some time. He travelled across Britain painting views of Surrey, the Thames Valley, Kent and Wales and also travelled to Europe visiting Switzerland and Italy. One of his paintings ‘The Waning of the Year’ was purchased by the Tate Gallery and can still be seen there. His works can also be found at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, Sunderland Museum, Towneley Hall Art Gallery, Atkinson Art Gallery, Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, Reading Museum, Colchester & Ipswich Museums. His paintings can also be found at the Brooklyn Museum in his native New York.

The painting is housed in its original Watts frame which is in excellent condition.

Object Details