Name/Title
Earl, Godwin (1860-1944) "Sea Bass"Entry/Object ID
2025.900.FA18161Tags
Oil PaintingDescription
One of the more challenging still lifes you'll see, Earl strips down his painting to three primary objects: a ceramic casserole, two lemons, and the eponymous sea bass. Perhaps a third of his composition is given over to an unadorned countertop. If this were cuisine, the message would be: if you have good fish, don't adorn it unnecessarily. Perhaps Earl conceived of his shimmering bass in a similar manner.Collection
Mt. Morris TB Hospital FAP CollectionCondition
Overall Condition
Very PoorDate Examined
Jul 22, 2025Notes
2 chips upper left corner/middle right edge, 8 scratches lower left corner/lower right middle corner, 4 holes right side/left middle side, indents/paint smudge, left middle side and bottom/lower left cornerRecommendations
requires repairs for tears and holesProvenance
Provenance Detail
Created under the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project (1930s–1940s), this collection of easel paintings was originally installed at the Mount Morris Tuberculosis Sanitorium in Livingston County, New York. Following the sanitorium’s closure in 1970, the artworks were abandoned and remained in storage until their rediscovery decades later. Now preserved and exhibited by the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts (GVCA), the collection is housed at the New Deal Museum in Mount Morris. Current efforts include digitization, high-resolution photography, and the creation of an online archive to ensure long-term public access and research availability.General Notes
Note Type
Cataloging NoteNote
See the entry titled 'New Deal Collection Documents' for supporting documents, and general historic and research information.
