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Augustus Rockwell (1822-1882)

The Syracuse Standard of July 27, 1859, reported that the "accomplished artist" Augustus Rockwell of Buffalo "left yesterday afternoon for the fishing grounds of the Walton Club in Brown's Tract."

Augustus Rockwell's party was led by H.H. Thompson of Whitestown who subsequently wrote of later camping trips with Rockwell as his canoe partner. Thompson made no claim for Rockwell's talent as a hunter or fisherman but reported his quick wit when the bottom of their canoe struck a snag on a sunken log. "The water rushed in through a hole an inch in diameter, close to Rockwell's right side. He had a coat over the breach in the twinkling of an eye, and in about seven twinklings more the boat had been beached, unloaded and upturned." Rockwell patched the hole with a cut out from the campers' tin butter pail and some white lead from his artist's box.

Augustus Rockwell experience as a camper is recorded in 4th Lake Camp. The boat is pulled up to shore, the lean-to and cooking pots are set out and firewood is waiting to be lit. Rockwell's minute attention to detail won him distinction in the field of portraiture. This same gift brings a sense of immediacy to the camping scene in 8 Lake. Its careful notation of the manned canoe on the blue waters.

Augustus Rockwell works have appeared on the market and many of the scenes depict the Adirondacks.
Source: askart.com

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