Lecture by Jeffrey Andersen, Director Emeritus, Florence Griswold Museum

A Boardinghouse for Artists: The Florence Griswold House in Old Lyme, CT

Jeffrey Andersen, Director Emeritus of the Florence Griswold Museum, led the institution for 41 years, transforming it into a nationally recognized center for American art and history. Under his leadership, the museum expanded its campus, collection, and audience, growing from a seasonal site to a year-round destination with nearly 80,000 annual visitors. An accomplished museum professional and author, Andersen has received numerous honors, including the New England Museum Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award and an honorary doctorate from the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. He currently chairs the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

This illustrated talk will explore the role of the Florence Griswold House as the communal heart of the Lyme Art Colony and as a center for American Impressionism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  During this time, over two hundred artists, including leading figures like Childe Hassam, Willard Metcalf, and Matilda Browne, gathered there to paint an Arcadian setting steeped in history and nostalgia, with its own “sense of place.”  After a summary of the colony’s contribution to American art, Andersen will give a brief look at how the House, now part of the Florence Griswold Museum, continues to be a beacon of creativity for artists today.