Name/Title
Kallem, Henry (1912-1985) "The Copper Jug"Entry/Object ID
2025.900.FA18188Tags
Oil PaintingDescription
The objects in this still life are candidly imperfect: all the bananas have spots; the apples are mottled or appear to have bruises. Still, their colors are vibrant and the table is replete. More of Kallem’s attention has been devoted to less-than-perfect reflections, in ghostly shades upon a table or in the copper jug. It appears that we see the painter in silhouette, with light coming in from a window over his right shoulder.Collection
Mt. Morris TB Hospital FAP CollectionCondition
Overall Condition
PoorDate Examined
Jul 26, 2025Notes
3+ chips lower left corner/upper right corner/ middle left side, 2 scratches lower right corner/lower right middle, canvas fraying/indent/stains/wooden canvas frameRecommendations
needs frame, cleaning, canvas slackingProvenance
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.
