Name/Title
Ward Jr., Edgar Melville (1887-1943) "Japanese Garden"Entry/Object ID
2025.900.FA18285Tags
Oil PaintingDescription
This painting depicts blooming Japanese flora in what appears to be a body of water; however, most of the canvas is negative space, a technique that allows for a higher contrast in colors of Ward’s vegetation. It also is perhaps intended to allow viewers to contemplate life and its meaning, for the flowers and waterlilies surrounding the base of the vegetation—their branches and petals—are flourishing.Collection
Mt. Morris TB Hospital FAP CollectionMade/Created
Artist
Ward, Edgar Melville, Jr.Date made
1935 - 1940Condition
Overall Condition
FairDate Examined
Aug 2, 2025Notes
1+ chips most on right side in plants, 2+ scratches right side in plantsProvenance
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.
