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KEENE, N.H. – (MyKeeneNow) For nearly two centuries, Mount Monadnock has captivated artists, serving as a muse for countless works of art.
“Mountain as Muse: The Artists Who Painted Mount Monadnock,” on view at the Historical Society of Cheshire County’s Putnam Exhibit Hall, examines the work of 50 artists, exploring their lives, the region, and the American view of nature. It also looks at the impact of these landscapists on tourism, land conservation, and the current perception of the Monadnock Region.
Mount Monadnock is a significant landmark in the Monadnock Region, drawing artists, writers, and tourists since the mid-19th century. The advent of railroads made the area more accessible, leading to the creation of numerous artworks and the establishment of an art colony in Dublin.
Charles T. Jackson’s 1844 “View from Jaffrey” is considered the first published image of Monadnock, followed by many others who found inspiration in its landscape. Some artists painted it once, others repeatedly, and for a few, including William Preston Phelps, it became their primary focus.
In addition to inspiring works of fine art, the mountain has been the subject of many other artistic media. Composer Lawrence Siegel created “Monadnock Tails,” a symphonic work premiered in 2002. Dianne Eno started the annual Mount Monadnock celebration of dance in 1986. Filmmaker Daniel J. White released the documentary “Monadnock: The Mountain that Stands Alone” in collaboration with New Hampshire PBS.
As outlined in the exhibit text that wraps around the gallery, literary giants like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Mark Twain have all written about Monadnock, highlighting its natural beauty. The early tourism around Monadnock began in the 1820s, with locals offering meals and lodging to visitors. This practice grew with the influence of artists and authors who popularized the mountain through their works.
The Dublin Art Colony, founded by Abbott Handerson Thayer, became a hub for artists drawn to Monadnock. Thayer’s students, including George de Forest Brush and Barry Faulkner, became prominent figures in the art world. Thayer, known for his transcendentalist art, depicted Monadnock in various styles, often focusing on the spiritual connection to nature.
Thayer’s conservation efforts in the early 20th century helped protect Monadnock from the impact of growing tourism.
William Preston Phelps, known as The Painter of Monadnock, dedicated much of his career to painting the region. Born in 1848, Phelps studied art in Boston and Europe before focusing on Monadnock. His realistic works, often painted under various light conditions, depicted the mountain and surrounding life, the text states.
Several pieces in the show convey a sense of place on and around the mountain, including Charles Jackson’s “Monadnock Mt. From Jaffrey” (1844) on loan courtesy of the Monadnock Center for History and Culture in Peterborough; William Alden Brown’s “Perkins Pond from Monadnock” (1946); John Traynor’s “Looking Over Too Bad Farm, Marlborough, NH” (1990s-2020s); Gary Postrech’s “Pumpelly Ridge from Monadnock Summit” (early 2000s); Richard Whitney’s “Monadnock Orchard” (early 2000s); and Paul Lewis’s “The Halfway House” (1960s-70s), acrylic.
Many artists are well-known, especially in the region, including Abbott Handerson Thayer (his lithograph in the show is “Sketch of Monadnock Mountain,” 1897 from the museum’s collection) and Barry Faulkner, whose untitled mural study from the 1930s was donated to the historical society. Another study piece in the exhibit is Alvin Fisher’s 1849 pencil sketch, “A View of Monadnock from the North.”
Different media represented include traditional ones like oil, acrylic and watercolor; along with some the more unusual like paint on birch bark (Betty Verburg’s “Untitled,” 1987); print on metal (Rockwell Kent’s “Dublin Pond,” 1903); woodcut print (Randy’s Miller’s “Mount Monadnock,” 1978) and collage (Beatrix Sagendorpht’s “Mt. Monadnock and Dublin Lake,” 1930s-1970s).
Many pieces are from private collections, along with many on loan from such museums as the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, Keene State College’s Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery and the Historical Society of Cheshire County’s own collection. Many come from contemporary artists living in the region, including Kate Beetle (“Monadnock April,” 2023); Jeanne Thieme (“Nestled In,” 2024); Mary Iselin (“Monadnock: Morning Has Broken,” 2023); and Tim Campbell (“On Monadnock Ridge,” 2016).
Several depict a specific season (Richard Meryman’s “View of Monadnock (Winter)” (1926); or time of day (Eric Ingraham’s “Golden Afternoon Mount Monadnock” (1970s-90s).
The exhibit also features artifacts such as souvenirs, postcards, ceramics, and pottery, as well as an essay by Rudyard Kipling titled “In Sight of Mount Monadnock,” published in Yankee Magazine in February 1957.
“Mountain as Muse: The Artists Who Painted Mount Monadnock” is on display through Aug. 30 at the Historical Society of Cheshire County, 246 Main St., Keene. Museum hours are Tursday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and the first and third Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon (closed Sunday and Monday).
Upcoming events related to the exhibit are two talks, Women Painters of Monadnock on Aug. 14 led by Michelle Stahl, executive director of the Monadnock Center for History and Culture in Peterborough; and Male Artists Who Painted Monadnock on Aug. 21 with art enthusiast Lance Tucker and Historical Society director, Alan Rumrill. Both talks are at 6:30 p.m.
For more information or to register for either of the August programs, call 352-1895, email hscc@hsccnh.org, or visit www.hsccnh.org.