John Frederick Kensett

(American, 1816-1872)

Evening on Contentment Island, 1872

oil on canvas

17 x 30 in.

Provenance:

Estate of the Artist.

Associate Hall, New York, sale of The Collection of Over Five Hundred Paintings and Studies by the Late John F. Kensett, March 24-29, 1873, lot number unknown (consigned by the executor of the above).

Private Collection, Florida.

Exhibited:

New York, National Academy of Design, The Collection of Over Five Hundred Paintings and Studies by the Late John F. Kensett, 1873, illustrated pl. 46 in the exhibition album.

Lot Essay:

John Frederick Kensett's paintings of Contentment Island–situated off the coast of Darien, Connecticut, in the Long Island Sound–are quintessential examples of Luminism, a distinct mode of mid-to-late nineteenth-century landscape representation. Characterized by a muted palette, diffused light and nearly imperceptible brushwork, these canvases–and the present lot, a sensitive treatment of the region's shoreline and shimmering waters–evoke a quietly spiritual, contemplative mood.

Kensett first visited Contentment Island in 1867 with friend and fellow artist, Vincent Colyer. Drawn to the island's unique light and serene beauty, Kensett spent significant time there until his death in 1872, the year Evening on Contentment Island was executed. The island’s location, marked by placid waters, pocket beaches and picturesque coves and headlands afforded a peaceful, inspiring setting for him to work–whether to document seasons, weather conditions or times of day, as in the present example. Here, the landscape all but dissolves into a dusky ensemble of blue and blush tones–a poetic interpretation of light, shadow and atmospherics that attests to Kensett's deep understanding of place.

Although Kensett maintained a studio on Contentment Island for only five years, a considerable portion of his oeuvre was devoted to capturing the beauty and unique topography of coastal Connecticut. He produced a substantial number of paintings depicting various sites along the Connecticut shore, with an estimated 50 works bearing titles referencing these locations. Among these, 16 were part of "The Last Summer's Work," a collection of 38 paintings believed to have been created on Contentment Island shortly before Kensett's passing (and which would be donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by the artist's brother, Thomas, in 1874.) The year prior, the National Academy of Design honored Kensett with an exhibition of more than 500 paintings and studies. Evening on Contentment Island was one of these works.

Evening on Contentment Island, 1872