William Louis Sonntag
PALMER MUSEUM OF ART
Amajor work by William Louis Sonntag was recently gifted to the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State.the painting, Autumn Landscape, 1864, features a striking color palette, intricate brushwork and subtle light, offering a sense of tranquility and respite during the volatile Civilwar years. “We are honored to add this major painting by a key figure in the Hudson River School to our collection of American art,” says Erin M. Coe, director of the Palmer Museum of Art. “Visitors from across Pennsylvania and beyond can experience this extraordinary gift, which greatly enhances our collection of 19th-century American landscape paintings.”
Autumn Landscape was given to the museum by Hilary
Peery Vesell in honor of her late father Dr. Elliot Vesell, who served for 32 years as the founding chair of pharmacology at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and 22 years as assistant dean of graduate studies at the Penn State College of Medicine. He was recognized as an Evan Pugh Professor, the university’s highest honor, and later a professor emeritus.
Dr. Vesell also edited several books and was a scholar of American art. His first publication on American art was written the summer between graduating from Harvard College and starting Harvard Medical School. He wrote the introduction to the Life and Works of Thomas Cole, published by Harvard University Press.