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Churches in Winter by Robert 'Harry' Fort

Painting
Robert 'Harry' Fort, "Churches in Winter", no date - Oil on canvas. This whimsical scene shows children playing in Griffith Street at the corner of Mason. Fort lived at that intersection and often painted scenes he could see from his porch at the Newnham House. Olivet College - notes on the artist: "Born in Bloomington, Illinois, Robert H. Fort was living in Chicago by 1890 and was soon listed as a commercial artist. His artistic training is unknown. He first visited the Saugatuck, Michigan area in 1904 and by a1915 ha had moved there with his family. Having eye troubles, the artist took up boat building and carpentry but later returned to painting. In later years he lived with his sister on Griffith Street where he painted many scenes he could see from her front porch. The artist was also an early member of the Saugatuck Art Association."
Oil painting of a winter scene in Saugatuck
Signature of Robert Fort

2011.20.01

Easel

Oil

Saugatuck United Methodist Church 1884-

ArtworksChildhoodChurches and religionWinter

Voss, Mary

2011.20

Saugatuck, City (government after 1985)

Donation

Fort, Robert "Harry" 1875-1954

1950 - 1955

Signed Name: Robert H. Fort Signature Location: bottom right

Saugatuck Art Associationchurch

22 in

24 in

Frame Size: 29l x 26w

AC bay 14

Art Conservation Room

Good

Saugatuck United Methodist Church 1884-

Rediscovering a Michigan Painter

From "Robert Fort: Rediscovering a Michigan Artist" at the OSH 2020 Robert Harry Fort 1875 – 1954 Untitled (Churches in Winter) undated | oil on canvas In this scene Fort captures the aftermath of a heavy snow. Children pull a sled across Griffith Street in Saugatuck. To the left, we see the Methodist Church at the corner of Mason Street. The Congregational Church looms in the background. Collection: City of Saugatuck, on permanent loan to the Saugatuck Douglas History Center, 2011.20 Gift of Ruth Newnham-Dunmire and Joy Faulkner

From “Seasons at the Lakeshore” at the History Center 2024-2025 Robert Fort 1875-1954 Churches in Winter n.d. | oil on canvas Robert ‘Harry’ Fort hailed from Chicago where he worked as a commercial artist and architect. A recreational sailor, he visited Saugatuck with friends in 1904 where he became enamored with the village and surrounding area. By 1905, he moved to Saugatuck where he lived on Griffith Street with his sister’s family. In this scene Fort captures the aftermath of a heavy snow. Children pull a sled across Griffith Street in Saugatuck. To the left, we see the Methodist Church at the corner of Mason Street. The Congregational Church looms in the background. Likely painted in the 1940s, the artwork evokes warm winter comparisons with Jeff Abshear’s summer painting. SDHC Collection Gift of the City of Saugatuck Accession number 2011.20.01

Status: OK Status By: Mary Voss Status Date: 2012-01-09

01/09/2012

09/14/2026