Intimate, detailed views of nature were the focus of 19th-century American artist Aaron Draper Shattuck. A newly-discovered cache by this Hudson River School painter will be presented in an exhibition at The Cooley Gallery, beginning June 3 with an evening opening reception.

Described as affable and inventive---he held several patents, including one for metal stretcher keys found on the backs of paintings---Shattuck was also sensitive to his environs, capturing the subtlest nuances of pastoral landscapes in his oils.

“One of the reasons I got involved in the art business was my love of 19th century painting and their spiritual and factual evocation of the New England landscape," explains the gallery's owner, Jeffrey Cooley. "These paintings, long held in the family’s hands, capture the essence of the landscape Shattuck loved.”

The exhibition is at The Cooley Gallery in Old Lyme, Conn., through July 17, 2010. Read more about Close to Home: The New England Landscapes of Aaron Draper Shattuck.