Rogers Studio and Museum

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The John Rogers Studio.
Photo courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society.

New Canaan Historical Society, Rogers Studio and Museum

13 Oenoke Ridge Road

New Canaan, CT

Website:  New Canaan Historical Society

Rogers Studio and Museum

  

The Treasure:  Maintained by the New Canaan Historical Society, the John Rogers Studio and Museum preserves the working environment of a beloved artist of the mid- to late 19th century.

Accessibility:  The New Canaan Historical Society is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 9:30 to 4:30 and Saturdays from 9:30 to 12:30. Tours of the John Rogers Studio are by appointment only. Contact the New Canaan Historical Society to make an appointment!

Background:  Marble and brass sculptures were enormously popular in the 19th century.  Cities and towns, businesses, and the wealthiest citizens often bought or commissioned statues from the period’s most eminent sculptors. But these sculptures were out of reach for most households.

John Rogers in 1904.
Source:  Wikimedia Commons

John Rogers (1829-1904) had dreams of being a famous sculptor but realized early on that he would be unable to compete with the academically-trained artists who routinely received the major commissions. Employed by the city of Chicago, he sculpted smaller figures in clay as a hobby. At the age of 30, his sculpture “The Checker Players” proved popular at a local charity fair and then his follow-up, a “Slave Auction” piece, gained attention at an exhibit in New York. Rogers quit his job to be a sculptor—but a different kind of sculptor than the ones who received the prestigious jobs and the critical accolades.

Rogers astutely targeted the emerging middle class. Working in the relatively inexpensive medium of painted plaster, he realized that he could create attractive parlor pieces that could retail for $15 or even a little less. While this was a significant sum for a middle class family, it placed attractive sculpture within their reach. For his subjects, Rogers naturally gravitated toward patriotic, sentimental, and comic themes entirely in keeping with the popular tastes of his day.

Over a nearly 35-year career, Rogers sculpted 86 different scenes (popularly known as “Rogers Groups”), most of them suggesting a short simple-to-understand story—in much the same folksy way as the later Norman Rockwell paintings. He gained fame and popularity with his Civil War groups sculpted during the war, and then moved on to homespun pieces with names like “Weighing the Baby,” “Neighboring Pews,” “The Traveling Magician,” and “The Checker Players.” His all-time bestseller was “Coming to the Parson,” produced in 1870, which sold approximately 8,000 copies over twenty years.

A selection of Rogers Groups at the John Rogers Studio and Museum.
Photo courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society.

Notes from the Editor:  John Rogers understood the product he was selling and the audience that he intended it for. In his words, he aimed to capture “the little moments in life, humorous and sentimental, events which make up a lifetime.” He steadfastly maintained, “Home scenes interest everybody.”

Even though life has changed enormously in the past 125 years, the little stories of Rogers’ sculptures remain instantly identifiable—and retain their charm as well.

First offered by Rogers in 1870, "Coming to the Parson" was
his most popular piece, selling approximately 8,000 copies.
Source:  Wikimedia Commons

"Checkers on the Farm," a Rogers Group from 1875.  Here's a
link to a video celebration of this particular piece, courtesy
of the New-York Historical Society.
Source:  Wikimedia Commons

"Weighing the Baby," a popular Rogers Group from 1876.
Source:  Wikimedia Commons

Other Recommended Sites:  The John Rogers Studio is one of two National Historic Landmarks in New Canaan. The other National Historic Landmark is the Glass House, architect Philip Johnson’s iconic declaration of International Style principles. As its name indicates, it is a house made of glass, with no interior walls to block the view. The effect from inside the pavilion is to create a serene center to contemplate the surrounding landscape. The National Trust for Historic Preservation maintains the Glass House and the other Johnson architectural structures on the property, using them to interpret modern architecture, landscape, and art.

A corner of the Rogers Studio and Museum, decorated with his Rogers Groups.
Photo courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society.

Tour America's History Itinerary

Wednesday’s destination:  Wadsworth Atheneum

© 2012 Lee Price