PENNSYLVANIA THROUGH THE EYES OF

THE NEW HOPE SCHOOL

Known as Coryell’s Ferry when George Washington crossed the Delaware in 1776, New Hope, Pennsylvania got its present name after a fire destroyed several mills in 1790. Once the mills were resconstructed, there was suddenly a “new hope” for the small town on the river that would later be joined by a bridge to Lambertville, formerly Coryell’s Ferry, New Jersey. Pennsylvania Through The Eyes Of Fern Coppedge will reveal the complete story of the historic area which became a landmark artists’ colony that held its first official art exhibition at Phillips Mill in 1929 which included a painting by Fern Coppedge titled Christmas Morning. Note: The location of the original Phillips Mill grist mill is shown on the 1798 map above.

Artist William Langston Lathrop (1859-1938) and his family moved to New Hope in 1898, founded an art school and is considered the father of The New Hope School. That same year along came Edward Redfield. Then in 1907 Daniel Garber joined the early group of American Impressionists who would evolve into “The New Hope School” of Pennsylvania Impressionists. Members of the New Hope School lived and painted in a number of Bucks County towns near New Hope, including Lumberville and Carversville. But the “New Hope” name stuck and that’s what these talented artists who followed in the footsteps of the French Impressionists are now called.

The only female member of the New Hope School was Fern Coppedge, who was taught by Daniel Garber at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in the early 1900’s. Authors Les and Sue Fox have heard many stories about how Fern was respected by The New Hope Boys but was not allowed to participate in their extra-curricular activities, like hunting, fishing, smoking and perhaps playing poker. However, we cannot substantiate or refute this plausible claim. In fact, we’ve found no group photographs of the New Hope School artists, no personal letters, and no other records documenting exactly what everyone was doing for work and recreation during the time they were painting together. Prior to publishing our new Fern Coppedge book we would love to see such evidence. We continue our research effort in the hope that private parties, family members, friends or historical organizations can assist us in elucidating the past.

PROMINENT NEW HOPE SCHOOL ARTISTS

WILLIAM LATHROP (1859-1938)

DANIEL GARBER (1880-1958)

EDWARD REDFIELD (1869-1965)

FERN COPPEDGE (1883-1951)

GEORGE SOTTER (1879-1953)

WALTER SCHOFIELD (1867-1944)

ROBERT SPENCER (1879-1931)

HENRY SNELL (1858-1943)

KENNETH NUNAMAKER (1890-1957)

JOHN FOLINSBEE (1892-1972)

WALTER EMERSON BAUM (1884-1956)

HARRY LEITH ROSS (1886-1973)

RAE SLOAN BREDIN (1881-1933)

CHARLES RAMSEY (1875-1951)

MORGAN COLT (1876-1926)

LLOYD NEY (1893-1965)

CLARENCE JOHNSON (1894-1981)

ARTHUR MELTZER (1893-1989)

ANTONIO MARTINO (1902-1988)