Provenance: Consignor states that she purchased the piece from an antique shop in Wytheville, Virginia in 1984 from a reminiscing widower, who had owned the shop with his wife for a number of years. The painting belonged to his deceased wife, a woman from Connecticut from the Ives family. She had received the painting as a wedding gift from her grandmother. The widower had hinted to our consignor that he believed the piece might be valuable, but was not aware of the artist. The consignor has owned the piece since the purchase in 1984. "He is credited with making the discovery that farm landscape scenes are more appealing when they appear to be covered with snow, hence the introduction of the "snow scene" into American painting.  His paintings emphasized bleak, snowy wintry scenes of New England. At the same time, he was creating snow scenes in the 1860s, Currier and Ives were marketing hand-colored lithographs, and his landscapes matched their formula for pleasant, quiet country motifs.  These works brought both him and Currier and Ives much success, and after his death in 1863, they continued to use his paintings for lithographs. Among his most popular prints were Cider Making, Winter in the Country, Getting Ice and Winter Morning." {source: askart} 12"h, 16"w Provenance: Consignor states that she purchased the piece from an antique shop in Wytheville, Virginia in 1984 from a reminiscing widower, who had owned the shop with his wife for a number of years. The painting belonged to his deceased wife, a woman from Connecticut from the Ives family. She had received the painting as a wedding gift from her grandmother. The widower had hinted to our consignor that he believed the piece might be valuable, but was not aware of the artist. The consignor has owned the piece since the purchase in 1984. "He is credited with making the discovery that farm landscape scenes are more appealing when they appear to be covered with snow, hence the introduction of the "snow scene" into American painting.  His paintings emphasized bleak, snowy wintry scenes of New England. At the same time, he was creating snow scenes in the 1860s, Currier and Ives were marketing hand-colored lithographs, and his landscapes matched their formula for pleasant, quiet country motifs.  These works brought both him and Currier and Ives much success, and after his death in 1863, they continued to use his paintings for lithographs. Among his most popular prints were Cider Making, Winter in the Country, Getting Ice and Winter Morning." {source: askart} very good