To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Newburgh Free Library is kicking off a multi-year celebration of our nation’s founding with the exhibition of three paintings by local artist, John Fleming Gould. The exhibit includes three of Gould’s most famous works depicting scenes from our nation’s revolutionary struggle:

The Last Great March, 1782; The Last Cantonment, 1782-1783; and Peace, 1783: A New Nation is Born. This is the first time all three paintings have been publicly displayed together.

The reception will include remarks from family members and local historians and a performance by the West Point Woodwind Quintet. Light refreshments will be served. The exhibit will be on view until October, 2027. 

John Fleming Gould (1906-1996) was an American painter, illustrator, and art instructor. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Gould studied at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and lived for many years in the Newburgh area. His illustrations appeared in national publications such as the Saturday Evening Post as well as pulp publications such as Danger Trails, Dime Detective Magazine, and War Birds, while his fine art pieces -- watercolors and oil paintings -- often portray historical subjects and the Hudson River Valley area.

For more than twenty years, Gould was an art consultant for General Electric Company's Locomotive Division, producing hundreds of illustrations for their corporate publications and advertising. He also taught at Pratt Institute for 22 years. In 1957, he and his wife Mary established the Bethlehem Art Gallery in Cornwall, New York.

The Newburgh Free Library graciously acknowledges the loan of these artworks from the family of John Fleming Gould.