To The Editor:
The Wilton Historical Society is planning an exhibition featuring several Wilton, Conn., artists active in the early Twentieth Century. The exhibition is planned for spring and summer 2008. The society is seeking works to include in the exhibition from collectors and institutions.
The featured artists, all Wilton residents, will be Solon Borglum, Carl Schmitt, Henry Grinnell Thomson and Alexander Phimister Proctor.
Borglum (1868‱922), one of America’s major sculptors (along with his brother Gutzon), depicted frontier life and military heroes on both a monumental and a more intimate scale.
Schmitt (1889‱989) was a prolific painter whose style moved over the decades from classic realism to Impressionistic to a more Modernist sensibility. His work spanned an 80-year period.
Henry Grinnell Thomson (1850‱937) was Wilton born, bred and active in the civic life of the town. An Impressionist influenced by his neighbor J. Alden Weir, his landscapes were peaceful and pretty. A number of years ago the Cooley Gallery in Old Lyme, Conn., did a major showing of his work.
Proctor (1860‱950) was another sculptor with a significant body of work. Known for his life-size animals, Native American figures and numerous private commissions, he was associated with the Art Students League and the National Academy of Design, as were the other artists. His son, Gifford (also a Wilton resident), died recently without completing his life work, a monumental sculpture of George Washington on horseback planned for Valley Forge.
These artists were founders/members of the Silvermine Guild of Artists and quite representative of the artistic styles of their period.
While we have some examples of works by these men, we are eager to borrow objects from collectors, institutions and galleries. Our exhibition facilities are quite good, very secure and all loans are insured and handled in a highly professional manner.
For additional information about the exhibition, I can be contacted at 203-762-7257 or marilyn@wiltonhistorical.org . Thank you.
Marilyn Gould
Museum Director
Wilton Historical Society
Wilton, Conn.
