NEWSLETTER
Norwich, N.Y. – Earlier this summer, Dr. Christine Isabelle Oaklander visited the Chenango County Historical Society (CCHS) to transfer ownership of a third portion of her holdings of fine art by Chenango County painter and printmaker Henry Grant Plumb (1847–1930). Two years ago, a collaboration was established in which Oaklander agreed to donate most of her collection of art by Plumb, which she has owned since 2014. The remarkable story of the original acquisitions was published in the Maine Antique Digest and the New York Times, as well as being the subject of several articles in the Sherburne News.
Plans are underway for an exhibition and accompanying publication to be facilitated by CCHS over the next three years, with Oaklander to serve as guest curator and author. While most of the art on display will be part of the CCHS collection, loans and partnerships with other cultural institutions and private collections are anticipated.
“It is exciting that this art is ‘coming home’ to Chenango County,” said Oaklander. “This collaboration will allow for Henry Grant Plumb to be given his rightful place in the chronicles of Chenango County history and American art overall.”
Plumb, a lifelong Sherburne resident, evinced artistic talent from a young age. He is thought to have studied under prominent painter and author Tompkins H. Matteson, a long-time art teacher in Sherburne. Close contact between the two families would have been likely, as Matteson worked with Plumb’s father Isaac regarding town affairs, including the water supply and the fire company. Most of Plumb’s artwork depicts the rural life of Sherburne, including landscapes, farming scenes, livestock, and depictions of young children, for which his family served as models. Mice, for some as-yet undiscovered reason, were a favorite subject.
In the early 1860s, Plumb moved to New York City to formally study art, which he did at Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design. He worked at the Hatch & Company lithography firm briefly, then moved to Boston to work for another printmaking establishment. In 1874 he travelled to Paris, where he studied art in the prestigious Academie des Beaux Arts, writing home dozens of illustrated letters recording his classes and adventures both in France and Italy. Upon returning to NYC in 1878, he began professional work as a painter, joining the prestigious Salmagundi Club and exhibiting frequently at juried shows in and out of NYC. Plumb was hired to teach drawing at Cooper Union, where he was employed for many years. In the 1890s, he married and had two children, Henry Jr. and Margaret. Plumb worked in NYC during the active art season, spending summers in Sherburne. He lived in his childhood home, establishing a studio on the second floor of a shed behind the house; both buildings still stand. He is buried in the Plumb family lot in Sherburne’s West Hill Cemetery.
Plumb’s archival and art collection was inherited by his daughter, who left it to her close friend Nicholas Pavlik. Pavlik consigned portions of the collection at auction to fund a theater scholarship. Oaklander purchased a large portion of the auctioned collection from an art dealer. She has already donated pieces to the Sherburne Public Library and the Save the Sherburne Inn Restoration Project (SSIRP).
“This collaboration—to develop experiences which fully celebrate Henry Grant Plumb’s legacy—is perhaps the most ambitious exhibition our museum has ever undertaken,” said Jessica Moquin, executive director of CCHS. “We are supremely grateful to Christine for entrusting CCHS with this priceless collection.”
Established in 1939, CCHS is the primary organization dedicated to actively and comprehensively preserving the history of Chenango County. The area’s premier heritage museum, the organization celebrates local culture—the enduring traditions, noteworthy residents, and unique stories of the region. CCHS programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
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Caption: Chenango County Historical Society staff members Lydia Althouse, Jessica Moquin, and Zac Greenfield pose with art historian Christine Isabelle Oaklander, Ph.D., along with some Henry Grant Plumb (1847–1930) pieces she has donated to the museum. These donations include the portrait of Plumb’s mother which Dr. Oaklander is holding. CCHS and Oaklander are collaborating on a partnership to celebrate the legacy of this native Sherburne artist.
About CCHS: The mission of CCHS is to explore the culture of Chenango County—its unique traditions and noteworthy stories—through the preservation and presentation of local heritage.