Connecticut, the Cradle of Impressionism: Westport and Old Lyme

At the burgeoning turn of the 20^th century, Connecticut offered artists beautiful rural landscapes not far from the big cities where they transformed European Impressionism into a uniquely American form. The idea was to recreate the young American students’ experience of living in the numerous French art colonies. Connecticut offered the ideal environment for six art colonies, more than any other state in the country. This three-part series presented by Tom Davies, a New Canaan resident and collector of American art for over 55 years, will explore the development of these important centers of Impressionism.

Westport developed differently as a center for several Illustrators who worked primarily in New York. In the early 1900s, fine artists, writers, and other creative types settled in the town, which exhibited more diversity than many of the other colonies. Old Lyme went through a controversial period between the Tonalist artists and the Impressionist artists who ultimately dominated, becoming the largest of the colonies. Many of the artists became permanent residents. It’s a thriving art community to this day.