The White Bridge depicts Horseneck Brook, which traversed John Henry Twachtman’s Connecticut property. The artist painted at least six versions of the bridge over the course of six years; however, its shape is slightly different in each work. Twachtman may have altered the actual bridge or simply changed its appearance in each painting. Loosely rendered with feathery brushstrokes of green and rich brown, and incorporating expanses of unprimed canvas, this scene captures the rapid growth and verdant blossoming of spring.
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Paintings in the Art Institute of Chicago: A Catalogue of the Picture Collection (The Netherlands, 1961), 457.
John Douglass Hale, The Life and Creative Development of John H. Twachtman, vol. 1, Ph.D., diss. Ohio State University, 1957, 435.
Lisa N. Peters, “The Suburban Aesthetic: John Twachtman’s ‘White Bridge,’” Porticus, 17–19 (1994–96), 51–56.
Susan G. Larkin, “On Home Ground: John Twachtman and the Familiar Landscape,” American Art Journal, 29, 1 & 2 (1998), 52–85, fig. 19.
Judith A. Barter et al., The Age of American Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago/Yale University Press, 2011), no. 59.
New York School of Applied Design for Women, Exhibition of Fifty Paintings by the late John H. Twachtman, Jan 15–Feb 15, 1913, no. 36.
Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Exhibition of Paintings and Pastels by the Late John H. Twachtman, Mar 11–Apr 2, 1913, no. 27 as The Bridge.
New York, American Art Galleries, Paintings by Ancient and Modern Masters, May 4–9, 1916 (?), no. 78 as The White Bridge.
Detroit, Michigan, The Detroit Institute of Arts (formerly Detroit Museum of Art), Catalogue of the Fourth Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings by American Artists, Apr 9 – May 30, 1918, no. 121, as Bridge in Spring.
Art Institute of Chicago, Summer Exhibitions: Paintings from the Permanent Collections, Jul 20–Oct 29, 1939, no. 12 as The White Bridge.
Illinois, Decatur Art Center, Millikin University, Masterpieces of European and American Art Lent by the Art Institute of Chicago, Mar 4–25, 1945, Reginald H. Neal, no. 16; Springfield Art Association, Ill., Apr 4–30.
South Bend Art Association, Ind., American Painting in the Manner of the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries, Feb 10–Mar 31, 1948, James Murray Haddow, no. 55.
Cincinnati Art Museum, A Retrospective Exhibition: John Henry Twachtman, Oct 7–Nov 20, 1966, Richard J. Boyle, no. 59.
Charlotte, N.C., The Mint Museum, American Masterpieces from American Museums, Nov 10, 1985–Jan 5, 1986.
West Palm Beach, Fla., Norton Gallery of Art, In Nature’s Ways: American Landscape Painting of the Late Nineteenth Century, Feb 21– Apr 12, 1987, Bruce Weber and William Gerdts, no. 69, ill. p. 70; New York, National Academy of Design, May 8–Aug 16, 1987; Chicago, Terra Museum of American Art, Sep 10–Nov 1, 1987.
John Twachtman: An American Impressionist Cincinatti: 6/6/99 – 9/5/99; Philadelphia: 10/7/99 – 1/2/2000 and Atlanta 2/12/2000 – 5/27/2000
Alexander Morton, New York, by 1916; American Art Galleries, New York, 1916; Macbeth Galleries, New York, 1916;
Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson, Chicago; 1916; bequested by them to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1937.
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