Rensselaer County Historical Society Edgar Holloway Collection of Watercolors and Prints

Rensselaer County Historical Society

First Street between River and State streets, Troy, NY - Image Source

Collection Facts

Extent:

Dates of Original:

c. 1972 - 1975

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Historical Context

The Reverend Thomas Phelan brought Holloway to the US from England for three summers of painting that resulted in over 70 watercolors and a number of etchings of buildings and sites at a time when many were threatened by demolition during Urban Renewal of the early 1970’s. Holloway’s work helped to raise awareness of what might be lost. It also invigorated the artist’s career in England. The whole collection of Holloway’s art was acquired by an anonymous donor from Rev. Phelan’s estate and donated to the historical society in 2006.

Scope of Collection

The Edgar Holloway (1914-2008) Watercolor and Etchings collection is the artist’s commissioned works to paint and document Troy, New York and the surrounding area’s architectural and industrial heritage. Holloway did this work between 1972 and 1975.

Holloway's three years in New York resulted in over 80 watercolors and 15 etchings that have become a historical record themselves of the way Troy, Cohoes, and other outlying areas looked in the mid-1970s. Through Holloway’s art, people began to see the inherent beauty in these often neglected buildings. Advocacy groups formed and several buildings were preserved through the actions of individuals inspired by art.

Other buildings have been lost to us, but the images Holloway created at least provide us with a reminder of the importance industry played in the making of the Collar City and surrounding communities.

This online collection contains 89 of these works.