Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Illustration for Franklin Roosevelt at Hyde Park: FDR and His Children Swimming
Object numberMO 1956.118
Name
Drawing
Artist
Olin Dows
(American painter and printmaker, 1904-1981)
Date1949
Mediumpaper (illustration paper), ink, paint (gouache), pencil
Dimensionssheet H 14 in x W 20 in (35.6 cm x 50.8 cm )
DescriptionAn original pen and ink and ink wash drawing with gouache highlights showing Franklin D. Roosevelt and his children swimming at a pond below Springwood, the Roosevelt's Hyde Park, New York home. FDR is seen seated on the pond's dam while standing next to him is Louis Depew, Sara Delano Roosevelt's chauffeur, who is teaching Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr. to swim while he is tethered to a fishing pole. The drawing is signed by the artist in ink in the lower right below the image: Olin Dows © 1949.
On the reverse of the drawing is a handwritten note in ink describing the scene: Between 21 and 26 F.D.R. would often swim in the pond below the house / The pond where we've seen him as a little boy fish and look at the ice cutting. He would sit on the edge of the dam and let himself into the water. Louis Depew taught the children to swim by supporting them on the end of a pole. Here Franklin [FDR Jr.] is being taught by Depew. Elliott is at the far end climbing out - James is throwing water at Anna who is submerged to avoid the splashing. John is climbing onto the dam near his father and Mrs. FDR and Mrs. JR walk down the path to the pond - (This is a scene made by Depew telling of this - Park Dept has it [illegible]).
Label TextThis drawing is one in a series of original ink wash drawings created by Olin Dows for his book, "Franklin Roosevelt at Hyde Park," published in 1949 by American Artists Group, Inc. Olin Dows spent two years writing the text and drawing the book's 174 illustrations. This illustration appears on page 99 of the book.On the reverse of the drawing is a handwritten note in ink describing the scene: Between 21 and 26 F.D.R. would often swim in the pond below the house / The pond where we've seen him as a little boy fish and look at the ice cutting. He would sit on the edge of the dam and let himself into the water. Louis Depew taught the children to swim by supporting them on the end of a pole. Here Franklin [FDR Jr.] is being taught by Depew. Elliott is at the far end climbing out - James is throwing water at Anna who is submerged to avoid the splashing. John is climbing onto the dam near his father and Mrs. FDR and Mrs. JR walk down the path to the pond - (This is a scene made by Depew telling of this - Park Dept has it [illegible]).
The Dows family had been lifelong friends and neighbors of the Roosevelts and were frequent guests at events at Hyde Park, NY and in Washington, DC, both before and during the presidency. In 1939, Olin Dows received a commission to design and paint the murals in the Rhinebeck, NY Post Office. In 1941, at the suggestion of President Roosevelt, Dows was commissioned to design and paint the murals in the Hyde Park Post Office as well, and worked closely with FDR in the conception and design of the murals.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteDonated to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum by Olin Dows in 1955.
Credit LineGift of Olin Dows
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesHudson River Valley Materials (National Archives Identifier 778818)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.Collections
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