Cape Ann Museum
27 Pleasant Street
Gloucester, MA
I recently posted a review of the Edward Hopper exhibit at the Cape Ann Museum (CAM). I liked it, but wasn’t blown away by it.
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| Fitz Henry Lane |
That said, there are reasons to pay a visit to the museum that will compensate if, like me, you wanted a bit more from the Hopper show. Know first of all, that the museum has been in Gloucester since 1875 and in its present location since 1923. During the 1930s the museum began collecting the work of Fitz Henry Lane (1804-65) and now has the largest repository of his work in the world.
Lane is something of an enigma, so much so that it wasn’t until 2005 that art historians realized his name was actually Fitz Henry, not Fitz Hugh as he had been mistakenly attributed for over a century. He was born in Gloucester, lived in Boston and worked as a printer between 1832-45, then moved back to Gloucester for the last two decades of his life. Gloucester has long been a fishing town and Lane had a clear affinity for the sea and ships. He was particularly good at capturing changing weather conditions, as can be seen in his contrasts between calm and stormy waters. (Alas, death at sea is part of Gloucester’s historical legacy. Remember The Perfect Storm? It was one of many such tragedies.)
Lane was such a keen ship-spotter that he could tell boats from afar without seeing their nameplates. If you’re a landlubber like me his boat canvases can wear thin after a few, but his obsession was no more unusual than the car aficionados or other enthusiasts of our day.
Lane is considered a master of luminism, which as the name implies, is about representing light. Luminist painters are often instantly recognizable as their works exude an inner glow. It’s as if they are backlit by some hidden source.
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| Brace's Rock by Lane |
On a personal note, Emily and I have been attending Labor Day family clambakes on Eastern Point for many decades. It takes place in Brace’s Cove, so-named for a rock just offshore. Lane painted it and here’s my photograph of it in 2023.
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| Brace's Rock by Me! |
Because Gloucester is indeed an ocean port, the CAM has lots of maritime objects and paraphernalia. Think everything from lighthouse lenses–see its large Fresnel bulbs–to mastheads, ship models, tools, and so forth. My favorite piece is the Our Lady of Good Voyage carving that once stood near the apex of the city’s Portuguese Church. It has a miracle associated with it. A group of sailors snapped their oars in rough seas, appealed to the Virgin Mary, and she supplied placid waters that allowed them to drift to safety.
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| Our Lady of Good Voyage |
But back to painting. The Northeast coast has spawned art colonies, including one that hangs on in Gloucester’s Rocky Neck neighborhood. Artists often traveled between them–especially during the summer months–from Cos Cob to Old Lyme, Ogunquit, and Mohegan Island, if you will. With less intention than circumstantial familiarity, a veritable mobile New England school emerged that spanned the late 19th and 20th centuries. The CAM has outstanding works from Milton Avery, Cecelia Breaux, Stuart Davis, Winslow Homer, Rockwell Kent, John Sloan, and more.
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| Avery, Front Porch Sitters |
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| Davis, Gloucester Port |
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| Stuart Davis |
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| Rockwell Kent |
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| John Sloan, Gloucester 1918 |
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| Alice Beach Winter |
The lower level has some classic 1930s proletarian mural art from Charles Allan Winter. In the nearby auditorium you’ll find works that celebrated Cape Ann quarry workers.
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| Charles Allan Winter (ironic commentary!) |
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| Leon Kroll, Babson Point Quarry Workers |
The CAM also maintains historical buildings and homes, including Lane’s, throughout Gloucester. You’ll probably have leftover energy to see some of them, as the CAM is a regional museum that whets your appetite rather than drowning you in gigantic blockbuster shows. I like museums such as the CAM; they invite you to linger and wander rather than fear you’ll miss something you were supposed to see.
Rob Weir
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