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I have recently discovered the work of William Trost Richards. His large oil paintings of seascapes are breathtaking, but it is his watercolor “coupons” that have captured my heart.

What are coupons? While looking at Richard’s work I was marveling at the atmosphere and distance he achieved.  Rarely have I seen such a true depiction of the light and largeness of the landscape.  My big surprise came upon reading the description of the paintings: “Watercolor on paper - 3x5 inches.”

My first thought was that this was a misprint. There is no way this could be a tiny watercolor.  It turns out that this is one of over a hundred that Richards created and sent to his patron, George Whitney. 

Whitney was an avid collector of Richards' early oil paintings and would fund trips as a down payment for future commissions.  Richards wrote frequently to Whitney to describe his journeys. In one letter he wrote that he wished Whitney could see the light and inspiring landscape and then included a pen drawing of a pond.  When Richards turned to watercolor Whitney responded enthusiastically by purchasing and promoting his watercolors which supplied a steady income.  To thank his patron, Richards began to send him little watercolor paintings with his letters.  They served not only as a thank you but also as a kind of mail order catalog for Whitney to promote his work.   The men referred to them as “coupons” and they exchanged letters this way for many years.  After Whitney passed away, the catalogue of letters and paintings was treasured by the family as a record of a great friendship and was finally given as a collection to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where Richards studied.

Lucky for us there is a lot of information and many images regarding William Trost Richards.  Here are a few of my favorite sites, Enjoy!

William Trost Richards - The complete works

Art Renewal Center - William Trost Richards

Book: A Mine of Beauty by William Trost Richards - A small hardcover featuring all of the coupons.