Jasper Francis Cropsey 1823 - 1900

The artist
Artists' Fund Society, New York, December 29, 1865, no. 51, as "Going to Church" -- A Spring Morning in England
Richard Butler, New York (acquired at above sale; sold: American Art Association, Ortgies & Co., New York, November 20, 1885, lot 45, as Sunday Morning in England)
Fifth Avenue Art Galleries, New York, March 20-21, 1890, lot 113, as Sunday Morning -- England
William H. Osborn, New York, circa 1890
William Church Osborn, New York (by descent in the family from the above)
Frederick Osborn, New York (by descent in the family from the above)
By descent to the present owners, 1988

New York, Artists' Fund Society, December 29, 1865, no. 51, as Going to Church -- A Spring Morning in England

Very good condition. Under UV: some very minor strokes of retouching in sky, otherwise fine.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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In a letter dated February 28, 2003, Ken Maddox of The Newington-Cropsey Foundation writes, "The church in the painting is meant to be Stoke Poges... Although the steeple lacks the shuttered additions at its base and the crenellated tower that Cropsey has always incorporated in his other paintings of the subject, I am convinced...that the figure with cane in the lower right corner is meant to be William Penn. This would certainly imply that the location is Stoke Poges. The name "Stoke Poges" was never attached to the painting by Cropsey, as he preferred the more generic concept of attending church on the Sabath and accounts for the liberties he has taken with the subject including moving the church closer to the town. It also makes [the] painting a unique image of the church, a subject which Cropsey painted over twenty times."