Questroyal 2009

Letter from the Director It is with great pride that I write this letter commemorating the tenth anniversary of Important American Paintings . In perusing this volume’s pages, memories come flooding back to me. During my six-year tenure, I have had the experience of calling clients to tell them that “the one that got away” was for sale again. I have had the satisfaction of suggesting our newest acquisition to a client, which would in turn become their latest. And quitememorably, I have had the pleasure of soaking up the exquisite, arresting, sublime, and poignant brushstrokes, color palettes, compo- sitions, and visions of the artists whose works fill our walls. In kindergarten, I began a thirteen-year ritual of Saturday art classes in the subterranean work- rooms of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Although it was thrilling to concoct giant papier- mâché dragons, it was in the galleries where I felt most in awe. I remember standing in front of John Singer Sargent’s The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit and being dwarfed by the porcelain vases (props Sargent used to paint the work) displayed alongside it. While, at that age, I think I preferred to be spooked in the dark room of Egyptian mummies, the MFA ’s American collection created vivid memories for me, a foundation in my visceral attraction to art, and perhaps an early career compass. I would like to thank our entire staff for their constant efforts and outstanding work in creating this catalogue, and to Lou and Brent in particular for cultivating a gallery that brings much honor, life, and humor to the art business. I am grateful to you, our valued clients, for your enthusiasm, knowledge, and ongoing passion. It is an honor to work with and among those who have an instinctual appreciation for art, as it is with them that I most easily identify. I hope that you enjoy this catalogue and the carefully chosen words and images that comprise it. Sincerely, Chloe A. Richfield Plate 3 Daybreak, detail