Museum Displays Paintings by Late Dunmore Artist

The Everhart Museum in Scranton recently acquired five paintings by John Willard Raught, a renowned Impressionist artist and Dunmore native. The museum unveiled the works during a press conference on July 27.

Raught painted many NEPA landscapes during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. His work captures NEPA’s past, from idyllic country landscapes to the coal breakers that once dotted the valley.

“Raught’s paintings and sketches are fundamental to this collection because they represent the natural, cultural and industrial history of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Preserving and promoting the unique heritage of this region is the foremost tenant of the museum’s existence,” said Kathy Johnson Bowles, Executive Director of the Everhart.

 

 

The museum obtained the artwork from the estate of a local collector. The new paintings depict rural scenes, including familiar views from Moscow and Spring Brook.

“This collection exists for the benefit of the community. If John Willard Raught was here today, he would probably be overjoyed that these new acquisitions are being shared with the public. He once stated that, if he hadn’t needed to sell all of his paintings for a livelihood, he would much rather give them away to people who truly appreciated them,” said Don Frederickson, immediate former Chair of the Board of Trustees. “We sincerely hope and we believe that the community appreciates Raught’s work as much as we do.”

The Everhart Museum boasts the largest public collection of Raught’s art. They have nearly 40 of his works.

 

 

“You can see our history here, but at the same time, you can see our present. If you look at any of these, they just have a familiar feel to them. We get to celebrate the beauty of our area and our landscapes in these pictures,” said Pennsylvania State Senator Marty Flynn, who attended the press conference.

The museum will also reveal a short video by Posture Interactive titled “The Power of Place: John Willard Raught’s Scranton.” The video will be on YouTube and Facebook Live on July 27 at 7 p.m.

The new acquisitions are on display in the John Willard Raught Gallery on the second floor of the museum. Visit the Everhart’s website for hours, safety precautions and visitor information.