Name/Title
Theobald, Jr., Samuel (1872-1956) "Close Relations"Entry/Object ID
2025.900.FA18280Tags
Oil PaintingDescription
A table, draped in eggshell cloth and situated in front of a curtain of the same color, holds a vase containing cherry blossoms, a tea cup, a decorated box—perhaps a tea chest?—and a small statue of a frog. Each of the items seems to evoke East Asian influences, such as the woman on the vase wearing a Japanese kimono, and the frog, a traditional symbol of good luck in Japan. The painting’s title alludes to myriad connections in the world, an encompassing family including but not limited to humans. A few blossoms on the table subtly remind us of temporal change.Collection
Mt. Morris TB Hospital FAP CollectionMade/Created
Artist
Theobald, Samuel, Jr.Date made
Mar 12, 1937Condition
Overall Condition
FairDate Examined
Aug 2, 2025Notes
1 chip upper left, 1 upper right, 1 on box cover, 3 scratches bottom right on tablecloth, table top edge right, top centerRecommendations
requires repairs for minor chipped paintProvenance
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.
