BUTLER Hainsworth collection exhibits 50 works

The paintings were chosen because they're beautiful and moving, Hainsworth said.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Butler Museum of American Art has opened an exhibit featuring 50 of the paintings from the Hainsworth collection.
Dr. John Hainsworth and his wife, Susan, have been collecting art since the late '80s. The Butler exhibit, entitled "Reflections of Reality," focuses on mid-19th and early 20th century American artists, up to about the 1930s, "at the point when modernism and abstract art became the dominant movements," Hainsworth writes.
In the preface to the beautiful catalogue which accompanies the exhibit (which is available for purchase at the Butler), Hainsworthgives a brief overview of the styles and historical significance of these works, beginning with a huge painting, "Tunnel near Giornico on the St. Gotthard Pass," by Russell Smith, representing the Hudson River School, which Hainsworth calls the "first uniquely American art movement."
There are also works by American artists who lived in Europe, especially France and Germany, and also those who came back to the States, bringing European influence of styles such as impressionism. The exhibit provides a wonderful chronology of American art of the period, from landscapes, cityscapes and portraits, to trends such as ladies holding Oriental parasols, to scenes which Hainsworth calls typical Americana: a Southern revival meeting, cotton pickers and circus scenes.
Moving pieces
Hainsworth stresses that the reason they chose these paintings for their exhibit was because they found them beautiful and moving. The catalogue, "American Paintings from the Hainsworth Collection," is exquisite and informative, and a recommended purchase for anyone interested in these works.
In addition to the Smith piece, other highlights of the exhibit include a large impressionistic painting by Francis Luis Mora, reminiscent of the style of Renoir. It depicts a family having a picnic on the lawn in the shade, and what makes it particularly interesting is the way Mora has captured bits of sunlight filtering through the trees.
A hint of Monet's water lilies appear in Adam Emory Albright's work, "The Raft," in which two young boys float on a vibrant blue pond, against a misty pink background. An example of figure painting is the beautiful "Study in Black and Green" by John White Alexander, who is known for his full-length figures. In this one, a young woman wearing a green and black dress is seated as she adjusts her brooch.
Landscapes are an important element in this collection, yet their differences are striking. "The Birches" by Harriet Randall Lumis uses vibrant colors to contrast the tall white birch trees against a deep blue background and bright yellow foreground.
More landscapes
Energy and movement capture the viewer in Robert Emmet Owen's "Snow Storm," in which one can almost feel the swirling of the blizzard against the dark trees and buildings.
Peace and tranquility is the mood created by the well-known landscape painter, Alexander Wyant, in a work simply called "Landscape." This lovely piece, primarily in shades of green, shows some influence of English Romantic artist John Constable, whose works Wyant admired.
Just as musicians of the day were being influenced by "exotic" lands, such as Claude Debussy in his "Estampes," which includes "Pagodes," a musical impression of the East, and the Spanish "La soir & eacute;e dans Granade," painters also drew subject matter from faraway lands. Everett Shinn depicts fiery Spanish dancers in his painting, "Dancers on Stage," and the Far East influence inspired a painting of a woman in a pink kimono holding a Japanese parasol in a work called "Woman with a Parasol," by Arthur Houlberg.
The collection is a visual feast that will be appreciated by serious art lovers and those who just wish to experience its beauty. It will be on display through Feb. 12. Admission is free.
On Jan. 29, the Hainsworths will be at the Butler from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to meet the public. For more information, call (330) 743-1711.