Burchfield Penney Art Center Acquires Charles E. Burchfield Masterpiece, Retreat of Winter

Public unveiling on M&T Second Friday, August 9, 2024, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Buffalo NY, Tuesday, July 30, 2024 — The Burchfield Penney Art Center proudly announces the acquisition of the exceptional watercolor painting Retreat of Winter (1950-64) by renowned American artist Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967). This masterpiece, a testament to Burchfield's unique artistic vision, has been acquired from Christie's, one of the world's leading auction houses for fine art. 

The acquisition of Retreat of Winter marks the most significant purchase that the institution has ever made, reinforcing its commitment to preserving and showcasing the legacy of Charles E. Burchfield and the art and artists of Buffalo, New York, and the surrounding region.

Burchfield Scholar Nancy Weekly describes the painting as “a quintessential work in a series that imaginatively depicts the joyful transition of seasons from Winter to Spring.” Retreat of Winter’s sister paintings, The Coming of Spring (1917-43) and Two Ravines (1934-43), can be found in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Hunter Museum of American Art, respectively. “All three contain early paintings that Burchfield expanded and remastered many years later,” Ms. Weekly continued, “making each vibrantly expressive. Retreat of Winter is the most magical and transcendent in its approach.”

Burchfield returned on many occasions over his lifetime to sketch ravines near his hometown of Salem, Ohio, and in Western New York, where he spent his adulthood. In a February 14, 1962 journal entry he noted, “The perennial fascination of the ‘convention’ of a ‘black hollow’ (which came to me in 1917, and has haunted me ever since)—symbolizing the dark mystery of a North Woods, where winter lurks in the V of deep sunless ravines.” 

Burchfield’s works of this scale and significance rarely become available at auction. Thanks to the Burchfield Penney board and staff’s close monitoring of the art market, the Art Center’s team was able to quickly mobilize to acquire this treasure for our community to enjoy. The Center continues to raise funds to support the acquisition of artworks that reflect the arts of our region. Learn more about how you can get involved and support this work at burchfieldpenney.org/support. 

The 40 x 60-inch painting arrived at the Art Center in late June, framed and crated for safe travel. The Burchfield Penney team quickly set about reframing the work with state-of-the-art museum glass (for a glare-free viewing experience) and a custom frame faithful to the artist’s own hand-constructed framing style. 

All are welcome to experience this special painting at the public unveiling on M&T Second Friday, August 9, 2024, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Retreat of Winter will be on view alongside a selection of Burchfield’s related sketches and journal entries through October 20, 2024. August M&T Second Friday festivities will also feature live music and hands-on creative activities led by Burchfield Visionaries members.

For more information about the Burchfield Penney Art Center and its upcoming exhibitions, events, and programs, please visit burchfieldpenney.org.

For more information please contact:
Julia Norris
Director of Communications
norrisjl@buffalostate.edu
716-878-3457

ABOUT THE BURCHFIELD PENNEY ART CENTER 
Established in 1966 on the campus of SUNY Buffalo State University, the Burchfield Penney Art Center is dedicated to the art and vision of renowned American artist Charles E. Burchfield (1893–1967) and the art and artists of Buffalo and our region. 

The Burchfield Penney Art Center at SUNY Buffalo State receives public support from SUNY Buffalo State University, Erie County, the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the City of Buffalo. Private support is provided by The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation, the Cullen Foundation, the Charles E. Burchfield Foundation, M&T Bank, The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation, John and Paula Reinhold/Joy Family Foundation, The Western New York Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Designated Inclusive Arts and Culture Organizations Endowment Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Inc., and many additional individuals, corporations, foundations, and Burchfield Penney members.