Name/Title
Dowling, William (1907-1980) "Bridlepath, Central Park"Entry/Object ID
2025.900.FA18145Tags
Oil PaintingDescription
Three women and one man are seen riding horses along a muddy trail; a younger rider with two braided pigtails leading them. A faded building is seen in the background--and we remind ourselves that this is New York City. There seem to be three distinct parts of this painting: the upper includes the building and the top parts of the trees; the middle includes the horses and the people. The bottom part of the painting is separated distinctly where the grass meets the trail, including the horses' feet and the muddy trail.Collection
Mt. Morris TB Hospital FAP CollectionCondition
Overall Condition
FairDate Examined
Jul 21, 2025Notes
35+ cracks throughout lower half/right middle side/left lower side, 2 chips upper right corner/center left, fading/warping/protrusions/white paint throughout entirely/lower left middle/ left middleRecommendations
requires repairs for minor 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.
