Edward Willis Redfield

(American, 1869-1965)

Spring Meadow

oil on canvas

signed E. W. Redfield (lower left)

21 1/2 x 25 3/4 in.

Property from the Collection of Renny Reynolds

Lot Note:

Edward Redfield, revered as the most American of the Pennsylvania Impressionists for his intrepid and individualistic spirit, honed a peculiar aesthetic, fast and free in an impressionist way, but also committed to a realistic appraisal of the natural world around him. Far from being bucolic, his paintings instead expressed nature’s magnificence by emphasizing its wild essence. Redfield viewed nature as a force to reckon with, a force in constant renewal and upheaval through seasonal cycles of growth and decay, but he never backed down from the challenge of confronting it, literally and pictorially.

Redfield is known to have braved the elements in all types of inclement weather to paint the Bucks County countryside. The bold, somewhat erratic brushwork evident in Spring Meadow mirrors his daring temperament. Here, artistry lies as much in the process as it does in the result. What is on full display, beyond the raw landscape awakening from harsh winter conditions, is Redfield’s vigorous manner capturing it on canvas. Throughout the seemingly deserted landscape, unmistakable energy resurfaces and surges in fits and starts, materialized by the forceful and broken brushstrokes. One can imagine sounds of flowing waters resonating, foliage freely humming in the wind, and a lingering hazy chill permeating the air.

Redfield’s aesthetic is honest, portraying the sometimes-gruff quality of nature in blatant, unsubtle terms. Not so much untamable—man does alter his environment, and Redfield’s paintings account for such alterations—nature is revealed in its deeply ungraspable quality. Redfield, as an artist, recognized the force that nature represents, one that he couldn’t possibly entirely translate, much less fathom. At the heart of his brazen style—an attempt to seize the rawness of nature, but also a surrender to it—lies profound humility.

The relined canvas is in overall very good condition. Craquelure present throughout the work. A small spot of soiling present at upper right near edge. UV: evidence of cosmetic retouching present at lower left corner extreme edge and in trees at left. Additional images available upon request.

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Please email paulinearchambault@hindmanauctions.com for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Alasdair Nichol

EVP, Deputy Chairman

anichol@freemansauction.com 267.414.1211

Alasdair Nichol is Deputy Chairman of Freeman's. He previously served as Chairman of Freeman's, and he and two colleagues acquired the company in a friendly management buy-out in 2016.

He joined Freeman’s in 1999, and as an auctioneer of almost 30 years, has sold many significant collections, including The George D. Horst Collection of Fine Art, The Lehman Brothers Collection, The Collection of Dorrance "Dodo" H. Hamilton, The Stanley Bard Collection: A Life at the Chelsea, and numerous works that set new world auction records. He was instrumental in establishing Freeman’s departmental fine sales and has spearheaded the company’s mission of showcasing single-owner collections.

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he studied fine art at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen. He later graduated with a master's degree from the University of Ulster in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 1985, he embarked on his career in the auction world in Edinburgh before moving to Glasgow, where he organized the first sale of Scottish contemporary art at the world-renowned Glasgow School of Art. He subsequently moved to a flagship saleroom in London where he specialized in Modern and Impressionist art before transferring to New York as Head of Fine Art in 1997. Since 1998 he has been a familiar face on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

Adam Veil

VP, Head of Department, American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists

adamveil@freemansauction.com 267.414.1221

Adam Veil serves as Vice President and a Fine Art Specialist at Freeman’s.

Veil joined Freeman’s in 2021 following years of experience in both the auction world and the academy. His area of specialization is pre-WWII American Art, although he has lectured and published on topics ranging from Mexican landscape painting and Old Master printmaking to art market economics.

Veil earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in art history from Penn State University and pursued doctoral studies at Indiana University Bloomington. Prior to joining Freeman’s, Veil was Head of Fine Art at a Washington, D.C.-area auction house, and Executive Director of the Santa Fe Art Auction, where he oversaw market-setting auctions of classical and contemporary Western, Southwestern, and California art. He has also held positions in provenance research, art fair operations, and as editor and producer of The Conversation, a popular Los Angeles–based contemporary art podcast. Concurrent with his role at Freeman’s, Veil is a professor at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches courses in Renaissance, Modern, and American art history.

Garden Party: The Collection of Renny Reynolds

Spring Meadow

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