Deerfield Exhibits Private Art Collection at Historic Deerfield

Deerfield Academy’s collection of paintings and drawings is located in the Flynt Center of Early New England Life on 37 Old Main Street. The exhibition highlights works of art from the Academy’s collection, many of which have not been displayed for public view in years. Deerfield Academy holds a rich collection of American art ranging from colonial American portraiture to early 20th-century modernism art pieces. Many of the artworks belonged to Rowena Russell Potter located in the neighboring town of Greenfield, and were given to the Academy in 1960 to honor her father, Charles P. Russel. Potter built a lasting resource for the Academy’s art education by assembling a collection that chronicled the history of American art. Her acquisitions aligned with the growing interest in American art that emerged during World War II. Simultaneously, she donated her collection of American decorative arts to Historic Deerfield.

The Academy’s collection includes a “who’s who” of American art across the centuries and the exhibition showcases diverse artistic styles and themes throughout American history. Eighteenth-century British colonial artists like John Singleton Copley and Benjamin West created portraits of early colonists and landscapes, which reflects the continued connection to England. Following the American Revolution, figures such as Charles Wilson Peale depicted the burgeoning republic through his visual representation of the new nation. After the Civil War began, Eastman Johnson used realistic genre and everyday portrayal to comment on the country’s social changes. Artists William H. Beard and John F. Peto also delved into these themes through their animal and still life paintings. 

While at the Flynt center, Graphic Editor and Head Layout Editor for the Scroll Ryan Bai ’26, who visited the gallery along with his Art and Drawing co-curricular class, went to the second floor to observe other fine decorative arts, featuring New England furniture and clocks, American power horns, Chinese export porcelain, and a variety of pottery. He stated, “The exhibition captures the essence of the historic Deerfield energy, reminding me of a lifestyle that was once prevalent on this land.” Jonathan Xu ’28, who also visited the exhibition, added, “the exhibit gave me a deeper understanding of the history of Deerfield and the culture and history of colonial America. I was greatly intrigued by the Deerfield showcase since I never knew our school had such a vast collection of artworks.”

The art collections are arranged in more than 80 glass cases, with take away handouts on the subject of English glass, Japanese furniture, Fakes and Forgeries, and English delftware. Inside the cases, there is information on each piece, but accessing the information on Historic Deerfield’s database is also an option. Xu added, “the installation displays collections of objects that have rarely been shown to the public which is what makes it so unique.” 

Historic Deerfield’s exhibition brings together a rich assemblage of Deerfield Academy’s American paintings and drawings to explore the narratives of artists who shared art history before World War I. When asked about the takeaways from visiting the Flynt center, Bai expressed, “The historic aspect of the exhibition challenges my understanding of my place in this world. It definitely inspired me to explore Western traditional portrait paintings and furniture as a potential direction for my next artwork.” Similarly, Xu noted that the collection of artworks were a representation of Deerfield's history and the portraits provided him with inspiration for future paintings.