Name/Title
Morton, Jay (NA) "Bavarian Group"Entry/Object ID
2025.900.FA18211Tags
Oil PaintingDescription
Somewhat of an outlier among the New Deal Gallery paintings, Morton’s composition follows in a tradition of European genre painting. We see a cozily circumscribed group of four people in traditional clothing, gathered under a pool of light and surrounded by darkness. A pitcher sits upon the table, although drinking does not appear to be the reason for this gathering. Two of the group are musicians, immersed in blissful concentration upon their instruments; two others enjoy as listeners. Morgan’s dramatic lighting and earth-brown tones are a genre convention, but the woman’s bright red earring belongs to a different world.Collection
Mt. Morris TB Hospital FAP CollectionCondition
Overall Condition
PoorDate Examined
Jul 27, 2025Notes
4 cracks upper middle edge, stains/paint splatter upper left corner/center lower left corner/lower middleRecommendations
cleaningProvenance
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' for supporting documents, and general historic and research information.
