John Singer Sargent and J. Alden Weir at the pond.
With his reputation as a landscape painter and leader of the American Impressionists growing through the 1890s, during the winter of 1897-98 Weir joined his friends Childe Hassam and John Twachtman and seven other like-minded artists in forming a new artists’ group, known as the “Ten American Painters,” or “The Ten.” This group provided an alternative to the staid exhibitions of the National Academy of Design and the now stagnant Society of American Artists, from which Weir had resigned. This new art group had a better energy, and vowed to move towards a “greater quality of art.” There were many exhibitions in the following years.
Back at Branchville, Weir continued using the landscape for inspiration and making improvements to the farm. He added a pond for fishing in 1896 with money he had won from a first-prize painting he entered in an art show. In 1907, he acquired a neighboring farm, bringing the land total to 238 acres. He also expanded the original farmhouse twice. This gave Weir to space to host his friends at his beloved retreat. Many artists spent weekends with Weir—fishing, hunting, drinking homemade cider, discussing philosophy and of course, painting. Hassam, Twachtman, Albert P.Ryder and John Singer Sergeant were among the artists who found the farm to be inspiring subject matter.
