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The Emerald Pool, Pinkham Notch
Samuel L. Gerry (1813–91)
Signed, lower right: “S L Gerry”; undated, circa 1870
Oil on canvas (20 1/4 x 27 in.)
Collection of P. Andrews and Linda H. McLane
Gerry painted the Emerald Pool on several occasions. It was a popular spot for many artists in this period. Although not easily accessible in the 19th century, the 10–12 foot deep pool was a source of fascination for painters. In 1871, an art reporter for the Boston Daily Advertiser was so impressed with Gerry’s painting of the Emerald Pool then on his easel in his studio that the reporter compared it favorably to Albert Bierstadt’s 1870 painting of the same scene, which Bierstadt considered his best work. It is not clear if the reporter was viewing this painting of the Emerald Pool or one of Gerry’s other renditions.
