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Mount Washington and the Saco River
Edmund Darch Lewis (1835-1910)
Signed and dated lower left: Edmund D Lewis 1870
Oil on canvas, 30 x 50 inches
Private collection
Edmund Darch Lewis's sketchbooks confirm that he was in the vicinity of North Conway during the summer of 1870. Lewis captured Mount Washington and the Saco River in a crisply painted, dramatic vista. New Hampshire, however, was never a final summer destination for Lewis. A participant in the developing American tourism industry, he was a "pioneer tourist," touring and sightseeing without desire for the sedentary idleness of a resort vacation or a summer residence. Born into Philadelphia society and wealth, Lewis had the means, independence, and desire to explore distant places. His travels dovetailed with the growing American railroad system. Lewis took advantage of railroad companies' investments in resorts and transportation networks, traveling to scenic destinations along their routes.
