Jasper Francis Cropsey (1823-1900), American
Autumn Woods, 1876
OIL ON CANVAS, 21 ½ x 13 ½ inches
Gift of Mrs. Theodora Willard Best

Jasper Cropsey spent much of his career paint­ing the area around Greenwood Lake in north­ern New Jersey. He began painting there in the mid-1840s and met his future wife there in 1847. When the artist, who was also a professional architect, eventually built his dream home in 1867-69, he did so in neighboring Warwick, New York. For Cropsey, the area had a rich background of personal associations and memories. Autumn Woods most likely depicts Greenwood Lake, or a nearby site, and suggests a personal recollection of glorious autumns past with its rich array of colors and effulgent sunlight.