Name/Title
THE AUTUMN FAIR HELD AT ROCKLAND COUNTYEntry/Object ID
L.2012.232Description
Agricultural fairs held in the autumn in the Hudson Valley provided an opportunity for farmers to display their produce and exchange information. The Rockland County Agricultural Society, founded in 1844, put on an annual autumn exhibition in New City until 1875. In this illustration of the 1873 show, men, women, and children admire examples of local crops, including grapes, corn and flowers. Apples, long a major Hudson Valley crop, figure prominently in the scene. Not only does a child reach for an apple from the display table, a group of men carefully examine bottles of "apple-jack" whiskey, presumably also made with local fruit.
Colored engraving of men and women viewing tables under tent; tables with fruit and vegetables at center; table with apple whiskey at center left; figures in lines at left and right of center tables; child selects apple at center; woman reaches for crab apples at center right; man with bottle of apple whiskey at center left; plant hangs above; at bottom left printed (monogram in image): "JB"; at bottom center, printed: "THE AUTUMN FAIR.--HELD AT NEW CITY, ROCKLAND COUNTY, N. Y., OCTOBER 1ST.--SKETCHED BY J. BECKER.--SEE PAGE 106."; at right edge, printed, from top: "108", "FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED NEWSPAPER."; OCTOBER 25, 1873."; text on verso.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
J. BeckerAttribution
ArtistManufacturer
Frank Leslie's Illustrated NewspaperDate made
Oct 23, 1873Other Names and Numbers
Other Names
Name Type
Other TitleOther Name
THE AUTUMN FAIR.--HELD AT NEW CITY, ROCKLAND COUNTY, N. Y., OCTOBER 1ST.Dimensions
Dimension Description
OverallHeight
11-7/8 inWidth
15-5/8 inDimension Notes
Display Dimensions: 11 7/8 x 15 5/8 in. (30.2 x 39.7 cm)Material
Paper, ink, WatercolorCondition
Notes
Remarks: Paper is yellowed with multiple creases and tears at edges; loss and tear and top left corner; loss at top right corner; stains (from five pieces tape on verso): at top left, top center, center right, center left, and bottom center; tear at top left, top right edge, and right bottom edge, stain and penciled marks at bottom right; smudge at center left.Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
William DieboldNotes
Former ownerRelated Entries
Notes
L.2012.237 - Engraving - Similar itemGeneral Notes
Note Type
Curatorial RemarksNote
This object was accessioned in 2012, but it was acquired earlier [Jessa J. Krick, 4/12/2012].Note Type
General NoteNote
Something of the importance of the fairs to 19th century America is suggested by the following speech which Abraham Lincoln delivered in 1859: “Agricultural fairs are becoming an institution of the country. They bring us together, and thereby make us better acquainted and better friends than we otherwise would be. But the chief use of agricultural fairs is to aid in improving the great calling of agriculture…to make mutual exchange of discovery, information and knowledge… and, by exciting emulation for premiums, to stimulate that discovery and invention into extraordinary activity.”Note Type
StorageNoteNote
Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Administrative Office, Archive Room, Shelf O3, B8Note Type
DepartmentNote
Library