As a Francophile, I’ve always been taken with Impressionism.
My interest in Impressionism expanded beyond Monet’s water lilies when I attended an exhibit in 2016 at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich that featured the largest collection of paintings by Alfred Sisley.
When I lived in Paris, I made it a mission to visit as many museums as I could while I was eligible for the “age 26 or under” discounted or free admission. Today, I naturally find French Impressionist paintings while wandering through institutional museums like The Met or MoMA, as well as seeking out exhibits at smaller, independent museums wherever I travel.
On a recent visit to the Bruce Museum this spring, I noticed a few paintings by Childe Hassam, an American Impressionist who traveled through Europe and the United Kingdom and helped shape American art colonies in Cos Cob and Old Lyme, Connecticut. Hassam was not the only American artist heavily influenced by Impressionism—J. Alden Weir, John Henry Twatchman, William Henry Howe, Willard Metcalf, Mary Cassatt, Matilda Browne, and many others contributed to American Impressionism.
To learn that New England—specifically Connecticut—is the birthplace of American Impressionism was a surprise. How did I not know this before?
I feel that I can’t comment much on art because I don’t have the formal art history education, and I can’t properly remember dates and times to save my life.
With that being said, I wanted to highlight three incredible museums that are living landmarks to the history of American Impressionism.
Bush-Holley House Museum
Before the construction of the I-95 in 1956 and the Mianus River Railroad Bridge in 1904, the Bush-Holley House had a beautiful, unobstructed view of Long Island Sound that inspired the Cos Cob artist colony, according to an article by Untapped Cities. The property has a long history of surviving the Revolutionary War and changing ownership, eventually serving as a boarding house for artists and writers under the ownership of Josephine and Edward Holley, dating back to 1882, then passing it along to their daughter, Constant Holley MacRae, and her husband, artist Elmer McRae. From 1890 to 1920, over 200 artists and writers—including Childe Hassam, J. Alden Weir, John Henry Twachtman, and Theodore Robinson—stayed at the Bush-Holley House to shape the Cos Cob art colony.
The Bush-Holley House Museum is the current site of the Greenwich Historical Society.
Address: 47 Strickland Road, Cos Cob, CT 06807
What to Explore Near the Bush-Holley House Museum
Although the Bush-Holley House Museum is under I-95, it makes it super convenient to get to the rest of Greenwich and Fairfield County, as well as lower Westchester County. The Cos Cob Metro-North train station is also a short walk away from the museum, making it easily accessible to and from New York City.
If you’re looking to grab lunch or dinner in Cos Cob after visiting the Bush-Holley House Museum, enjoy classic Eastern European dishes at Greenwich & Delancey or contemporary French-inspired American cuisine at La Bistro. Otherwise, head to Greenwich Avenue for shopping and more restaurants, or take in the waterfront views from l’escale at Delamar Greenwich Harbor.
Weir Farm
The homestead Julian Alden Weir commemorates the artist’s lasting legacy as one of the most notable American artists. After extensive travel throughout Europe and living in New York, Weir and his wife moved to Branchville (now Wilton) and spent nearly four decades on the 60-acre rural lot, deepening his craft, focusing on natural landscapes on the property.
Today, Weir Farm is the only National Historical Park in Connecticut and the only national park dedicated to American Impressionist painting.
Address: 735 Nod Hill Road, Wilton, CT 06897
What to Explore Near Weir Farm
Located between the coast and deep(er) woods, Weir Farm is in Wilton, CT, next to Ridgefield and New Canaan, and charming towns in Westchester County like Lewisboro, Pound Ridge, and Bedford, NY.
There are plenty of shops and restaurants to choose from along Main Street in Ridgefield, but if you are curious to explore Wilton and its neighborhoods, there’s Nod Hill Brewery in Branchville; The Georgetown Owl Saloon & Restaurant in Georgetown; Baldanza at the Schoolhouse in Cannondale; and Red Rooster Pub in Wilton Center.
Florence Griswold Museum
The origins and lifeblood of the Old Lyme artist colony can be directly traced to Florence Griswold’s home and estate in the early 1900s through the 1920s. “Miss Florence,” the unmarried daughter of a sea captain, inherited her childhood home and converted it into a boarding house to keep afloat. Henry Ward Ranger, an artist, came upon Miss Florence’s home in 1899 and promised to return the following summer with several artist friends in tow. Ranger was good on his word and drew artists from New York and Boston to Old Lyme to paint scenes in the home’s interiors and gardens, and along the Lieutenant River.
Recognized as “Giverny in Connecticut,” the Florence Griswold Museum has worked tirelessly over the years to reclaim and preserve the estate’s identity and history in American art.
Address: 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 06371
What to Explore Near the Florence Griswold Museum
From the nearby coastal villages of Mystic, Noank, and Stonington to the rural woods and farms of Norwich, Preston, and North Stonington, New London County is an underrated part of Connecticut that does have plenty to offer besides Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos—think flower farms, spas, golf courses, and beaches.
Essex Village, across the river in Middlesex County, is also not to be missed. Home to the Essex Steam Train and The Griswold Inn, the historic maritime village overlooks the Connecticut River and has beautifully curated independent retail stores and restaurants.
I would highly recommend spending a weekend in the area—book a hotel room in Mystic at Delamar Mystic or The Whaler’s Inn—and explore.
Additional Museums to Visit for American Impressionism in Connecticut
Yale University Art Gallery
Address: 1111 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 06511
New Britain Museum of American Art
Address: 56 Lexington St, New Britain, CT 06052
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Address: 600 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103
Bruce Museum
Address: 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT 06830
New England Parisienne 