R.C. Brittain House by Fort, Robert Harry

Painting

-

Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society

Oil painting of a large yellow house

Oil painting of a large yellow house

Name/Title

R.C. Brittain House by Fort, Robert "Harry"

Entry/Object ID

2011.11.02

Description

Robert H. Fort, "R. C. Brittain House", no date, Oil on canvas, framed. This painting depicts an Italianate house that stood at the corner of Mason and Griffith streets in Saugatuck, across the street from where Fort lived with his sister's family. The House was built by O. R. Johnson, a lumberman. It later became the home of Captain Charles Coates in the 1870s and, later became the home of Captain R. C. Brittain until his death in 1905. Brittain's son took over the house and lived out his life there. The structure was largely destroyed in 1967 to make way for a parking lot. The church ("Churches in Winter," also by Robert H. Fort) is the Methodist Church which has moved from its original position on the hill.

Type of Painting

Easel

Artwork Details

Medium

Oil

Collection

Artworks, Buildings: Lost

Cataloged By

Voss, Mary

Acquisition

Accession

2011.11

Source or Donor

Beatrice Finch Estate

Acquisition Method

Donation

Made/Created

Artist

Fort, Robert "Harry" 1875-1954

Date made

1930 - 1940

Lexicon

Search Terms

Painting, Brittain House

Location

Shelf

AC bay 14

Room

Art Conservation Room

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Parking Lot/249 Mason/Captain R.C. Brittain house c.1868-1967

Exhibition

Rediscovering a Michigan Painter

Interpretative Labels

Label

From "Robert Fort: Rediscovering a Michigan Artist" at the OSH 2020 Robert Harry Fort 1875 – 1954 The Brittain House undated | oil on canvas The linear quality of this painting reveals Robert Fort’s training as an architect/builder. Fort was a commercial artist in Chicago. He also worked as an architect and later as a boat builder. This painting is probably unfinished. It gives insight into the way Fort worked and his technique for underpainting. This house stood at the corner of Mason Street and Griffith Street in Saugatuck at the site of the current Chemical Bank. Collection: Saugatuck-Douglas History Center 2011.11.2 Gift of Bob and Doris Mersbach

General Notes

Note

Purchased from the Beatrice Finch Estate by Jim Schmiechen for $300 and donated to the SDHS. A note attached says, that Unsigned painting purchased by the Historical Society with a gift from Bob and Doris Mershbach. Status: OK Status By: Mary Voss Status Date: 2011-03-28

Create Date

March 28, 2011

Update Date

April 29, 2025