Overlooked Artist John Quidor, Who Brought Washington Irving’s Stories to Life, the Focus of a New Exhibition at The New York Historical

John Quidor (1801-1881), The Money Diggers, 1832. Oil on canvas. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair Bradley Martin, 48.171. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

On view Now – April 4, 2027

The New York Historical explores the life and work of John Quidor, a visionary but historically overlooked artist whose paintings are steeped in the Netherlandish lore of New York’s Hudson Valley. On view Now – April 4, 2027, John Quidor: New York Stories is the first exhibition of Quidor’s work in over 50 years and highlights the artist as a sharply perceptive historian.

“John Quidor: New York Stories examines the career of an artist who brought Washington Irving’s satirical stories of New York to life,” said Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO, The New York Historical. “Through his unique style and subject matter, his work asks us to question how we interpret history and remember the past.”

John Quidor (1801-1881) was one of the foremost literary painters of the early American period. Frenzied, cartoonish, and unlike the prevailing style of his day, Quidor’s paintings often begin with a literary narrative—most frequently those of his contemporary Washington Irving—and use it as a starting point for a more spirited interpretation of the scene. Quidor’s unique style led him to a lifelong interest in literary painting. More than two-thirds of his extant paintings depict scenes from Irving’s A History of New York, a satirical account of Dutch Manhattan told by the fictitious Diedrich Knickerbocker and dedicated to The New York Historical, a first edition of which is on view. The exhibition includes scenes from Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” including Ichabod Crane Flying from the Headless Horseman, ca. 1828.

Born in Tappan, New York, Quidor moved to New York City as a child and, at 17, entered a portrait-painting apprenticeship with John Wesley Jarvis. Four years later, he sued his instructor, alleging that Jarvis had failed to teach him meaningfully, and submitted his own canvases as evidence. Quidor won, but sacrificed his reputation as a painter in the process. Quidor maintained a studio in the seedy Five Points District of Lower Manhattan and was known primarily as a commercial painter of fire engine panels. A fire engine condenser like the ones Quidor painted is on display.

The exhibition features nine paintings by Quidor, alongside works by his contemporaries, including Romantic Landscape by Thomas Cole and The Great Fire of New York as Seen from the Bank of America, New York City by Nicholas Calyo, and sculptures by John Rogers.

Accompanying the exhibition is a catalogue with 75 color and black & white illustrations, published by Giles. The exhibition is curated by Wendy Nālani E. Ikemoto with Julia Brukx, curatorial assistant.

Support
John Quidor: New York Stories is made possible with support from the Henry Luce Foundation and the Wyeth Foundation for American Art.

Exhibitions at The New York Historical are made possible by the Saunders Trust for American History, the Evelyn & Seymour Neuman Fund, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. WNET is the media sponsor.

About The New York Historical
New York’s first museum, The New York Historical is a leading cultural institution covering over 400 years of American history. Our offerings span groundbreaking exhibitions; peerless collections of art, documents, and artifacts; acclaimed educational programs for teachers and students nationwide; and thought-provoking conversations among leading scholars, journalists, and thinkers about the past, present, and future of the American experiment. The New York Historical is a museum of museums and a collection of collections. We are home to the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, the Center for Women’s History, the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, and the future American LGBTQ+ Museum. We elevate the perspectives and scholarship that define the United States’ democratic heritage and challenge us all to shape our ongoing history for the better. Connect with us at nyhistory.org or at @nyhistory on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Tumblr.