One of the lots in the previous Freeman's auction on June 21, which interested both Geo and I, was a painting by Ann Crane, the second wife of Bruce Crane. The skills and techniques were of a master of tonalism style, but hardly would people associate such kind of solitude reflection with the females. Whether Ann was speaking of her own voice or imitating her husband is uncertain, but at the turn of the century, people expected female artists to paint miniature ivory, not rugged landscape in New England winter. Thus Ann could only choose one between artistic fidelity and anindependent identity. Her aloofness to the art colony in later years probably indicated that such sacrifice in the end didn't help her marriage. [read more]