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A Faithful Student of Nature: The Life and Art of Samuel L. Gerry

Samuel Lancaster Gerry (1813–91) was a prominent 19th-century artist who was particularly renowned for his paintings of New Hampshire, especially the White Mountains. His depictions of the state’s natural beauty were emblematic of many New Hampshire icons, such as the Old Man of the Mountain, Mount Washington, and the Flume. His paintings of these natural wonders helped shape the way Americans viewed New Hampshire and contributed to the rise of tourism to the state. Gerry’s landscapes typically featured detailed foregrounds that included horseback riders, farmers, fisherman, and even tourists and artists, set against dramatic, sweeping backgrounds that emphasized the majesty of New Hampshire’s mountains and lakes. Well-connected in the Boston art scene, Gerry also helped organize the city’s first art associations, wrote extensively on the artist’s craft, trained students, and collaborated with some of the finest artists of his time. The exhibition, associated publication, and public programs on Gerry’s life and art, all organized by the New Hampshire Historical Society, offered an unprecedented look at his prolific career, which spanned nearly six decades during a period when American art came into its own.

Exhibition
From March 18 to August 13, 2022, the New Hampshire Historical Society hosted an exhibition that gave an unprecedented look at 38 of Gerry’s most significant works, with the majority coming from private collections. Also featured were paintings from the New Hampshire Historical Society’s own collection and from the collections of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Historic New England, Fenimore Art Museum, Revolutionary Spaces, and the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Samuel L. Gerry Timeline
Explore Samuel L. Gerry’s life and career through this in-depth timeline that traces the story of his life, travels in New England and Europe, his work as a teacher and mentor to other artists, and his role as a pillar of Boston’s art community for much of the 19th century. The 29-page chronology was compiled by Charles O. Vogel and Allen W. Vogel, and edited by Donna-Belle Garvin.

Publication
A special issue of Historical New Hampshire, published in January 2022, features 52 full-color plates of Gerry’s works along with articles by Gerry scholar Charles Vogel, art historian Melissa Geisler Trafton, and an introduction by historian and journalist Mike Pride. Society members have already received an exclusive members-only printing of this issue, but it is available to the public in book form as well. Selling for $24.95, the book can be purchased at the Society, online through the Society’s store, or by calling 603-228-6688.

Public Programs
The New Hampshire Historical Society’s annual spring lecture series, titled “Capturing Eden: An Exploration of White Mountain Art,” examined the work of Gerry and his contemporaries within a broader context in four lectures held at the Society in April and May 2022. Presenters included author Howard Mansfield, historian Marcia Schmidt Blaine, and art historians Inez McDermott and Mark D. Mitchell. The annual spring lecture series is open only to members of the New Hampshire Historical Society as a benefit of membership at no additional charge.

You’re Invited
The New Hampshire Historical Society’s work to save, preserve, and share New Hampshire’s history depends on membership dues and contributions from people like you. To our members, we say thank you. And to all others who share our love of New Hampshire, we invite you to join today. When you join, you will receive this special issue of Historical New Hampshire focused on the life and art of Samuel L. Gerry, and many other benefits, including the opportunity to attend the annual spring lecture series.