The 1704 Raid on Deerfield is the subject of an art exhibit by Ashfield artist Jim Murphy now on display at Greenfield Gallery.
Murphy is a New England landscape painter. He was inspired to do the paintings after seeing a reenactment of the raid in Old Deerfield, according to gallery co-owner, Kate Hunter.
The paintings depict Native Americans, French Canadian soldiers and the Deerfield residents, including people on horseback, Native Americans by the town’s stockade fence and people marching north.
The raid occurred during Queen Anne’s War on February 29, 1704. French and Native American forces under the command of Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville attacked the English frontier settlement just before dawn. They killed 47 villagers, set fire to the town and led 112 people, young and old, on a march to Canada. Sixty Deerfield residents later returned to New England.
There are many reasons to see Murphy’s show, said Hunter, who owns the gallery with Rachael Katz.
“The light he is able to achieve with oil paint is remarkable,” she said.
The exhibit runs through Sept. 30. There will be a reception on Friday, Sept. 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. The gallery is at 231 Main St. in Greenfield.
For more information, visit Facebook: type, “Jim Murphy,” and “Deerfield,” or call 413-772-9334.