Revolutionary Times in New Jersey

Period1925

MediumWoodcut on paper with black ink

Dimensions8.75 × 11.5 in. (22.2 × 29.2 cm)

InscribedInscribed lower right, "Revolutionary Times in New Jersey."

SignedSigned lower right in woodcut, "HOWARD N. COOK." Signed lower left in pencil, "Howard N. Cook 1925."

ClassificationsPrints

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Henry L. Post, Mrs. Lewis Waring, and Amory L. Haskell in memory of their mother, Mrs. J. Amory Haskell, 1944

Object number1915

DescriptionDepiction of a five bay, two story structure with a gable roof, two front entrances, columned front porch, a rear porch, and two chimneys. A leafless tree appears to the right of the building, and another smaller tree immediately in front of the main entrance. Grass grows thickly around the structure.
Curatorial RemarksA master printmaker who studied at the Art Students League of New York, Howard Cook produced some of his finest work during the 1920s and 1930s. During these years, he developed his personal style, favoring boldly delineated forms. In Revolutionary Times in New Jersey, he transforms this local landmark into an expressive mood-filled conception, giving it the appearance of an abandoned old house bathed in mysterious shadows. The woodcut may have been executed in conjunction with one of Cook’s illustration assignments for magazines such as Forum, Harper’s, or The Atlantic. It is an unlisted work by Cook.NotesThe woodcut depicts the Old Village Inn in Englishtown, Monmouth County. The ca. 1732 structure with later extensions and modifications still stands. It was restored in the late 1970s and 1980s by the Battleground Historical Society. The tavern served as the headquarters for General Charles Lee during the Battle of Monmouth. It was here that George Washington and Lord Stirling compiled the charges against Lee that would lead to his later court martial.

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