Alger, John Herbert (1879-1967) Three Roses

Name/Title

Alger, John Herbert (1879-1967) "Three Roses"

Entry/Object ID

2025.900.FA18106

Tags

Oil Painting, Still Life

Description

A hilly landscape sets a picturesque scene of three vibrantly colored roses, placed in an ornate ceramic vase. Seemingly supported by a small black table, the vase and the roses overlook a hilly landscape with green grass and a bright blue lake. The sky behind it is a calming blue grey that contrasts sharply with the dark black table. The crisp edges of the table are also in contrast with the rolling hills, and the curved nature of the roses, including the rounded design of vase and how it is decorated. The combination of a clear sky, and pastel colors of pink, blue, green, and tan have a calming effect on the eye.

Artwork Details

Medium

Oil

Collection

Mt. Morris TB Hospital FAP Collection

Made/Created

Artist

Alger, John Herbert

Date made

1935 - 1940

Dimensions

Height

24 in

Width

20 in

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Date Examined

Jul 19, 2025

Notes

1 hole indented upper middle center, staining/5 black circles/fading wooden frame pressing through, throughout/middle right upper corner

Recommendations

requires cleaning

Provenance

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 Note

Note

See the entry titled 'New Deal Collection Documents' for supporting documents, and general historic and research information.