David Johnson (1827-1908)

As epitomized by Near Noroton, Connecticut, Gwendolyn Owens writes, "Johnson's tranquil meditations always study and celebrate the aesthetic harmonies in patterns of color, shape, and texture which link the diverse elements of the landscape, the ecological relations which make each natural element a part of an intricate whole and also the close interdependence between the natural system and the people who come to it for their livelihood, their recreation, and their spiritual renewal. Emphasizing these harmonies, Johnson's paintings seem intended to serve as the bridge between human viewers and the world." (Nature Transcribed: The Landscapes and Still Lifes of David Johnson, Ithaca, New York, 1988, p. 13)