The Milton Blue Hills by J.J. Enneking - Boston, MA - Paintings Then and Now on Waymarking.com

J. J. Enneking, considered the first American Impressionist painter, one of many styles he painted in, painted of his works around the Neponset River Valley, including this painting of the Blue Hills area in nearby Milton.

The waymark is at a location just over the municipal boundary, in the Readville section of Boston - right at the southern tip. The view is over the lower section of Fowl Meadow, which is a wetland where the Neponset River meanders unhurriedly toward Boston Harbor, to Great Blue Hill at the center of the painting. On either side are features that look like hills or ridges. The open grassland has some trees. Through the trees, a road - possibly a long bridge - can be seen. Further back, on the ridges, are building roofs.

According to (visit link) which is the source of the image of the painting, the painting was created in 1887. It is in private collection, which makes it generally inaccessible. According to this web site, this and other works of J. J. Enneking are now in the public domain. I saw a copy of the painting at an annual meeting of the Neponset River Watershed Association. Even with the copy, I was immediately taken in by the work. Those of us gathered to view the painting copy debated where the point of view was.

Great Blue Hill is a dome-shaped feature that is round on all sides. It is also generally vegetated, except for the south side, where there is an open ledge. So, the view is not from the south. Great Blue Hill is at the west end of a ridge of hills and is the largest of them, with an elevation of 635 ft above sea level. The other hills are generally 300 to 500 ft high. At the time, the area may have been very open as trees were cut down for various purposes including building ships. Today, most of the Blue Hills are within the Blue Hills Reservation, and the trees have grown into extensive forests close to the city of Boston.

The picture that I took at the spot provides convincing evidence that it was here - though not perfect. The hill shape matches pretty well. There are ridges that are actually forward of the hill and aren't attached to it. Not quite visible are houses that have been built on the ridges. A road - the Neponset River Parkway, runs through the picture - further back than in the painting. Just off the picture to the left is Paul's Bridge, which may have been the feature that Enneking painted in. Paul's bridge is a stone arch bridge with three arches over the Neponset River. It has been rebuilt since the painting using the same stones.

The hill itself has changed in appearance since 1887. For one, on the northeast slope, ski trails have been carved into the side. A radio tower for WGBH radio sites by the summit. Also on the top is the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory, originally built in 1885, so it was present when Enneking was painting the hill. There is a feature on the painting that may be the observatory, though its placement is a bit to the left.

Another link has been included providing a biography of Enneking, by a local historian.

(visit link)

Website of painting. Exact URL of painting is required: [Web Link] Artist: John Joseph Enneking Date of Painting: 01/01/1887 Date of Your Photograph: 03/26/2016 Medium of Painting: oil on canvas

Visit Instructions:
Describe your visit, including the date, with as much detail as possible, and contribute at least one photo, original, different from those already in the gallery, if possible.

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