Lost No Longer: East Hampton Historical Society to Unveil Rediscovered Mary Nimmo Moran Painting

The East Hampton Historical Society will unveil a rediscovered painting by Mary Nimmo Moran titled “A Young Apple Tree in Blossom in Dr. Ed Osborn’s Orchard, Easthampton” during a special reception on Monday, August 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. The unveiling will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Thomas and Mary Nimmo Moran Home & Studio.

The painting, believed lost for more than a century, was recently rediscovered by donors Kay Spear Gibson and Robert Hefner, who gifted it to the Historical Society in memory of Isabel (Min) Spear Hefner. The reception will also include guided tours of the Moran Garden, led by the Garden Club of East Hampton.

The work is a late-career painting by Moran, who returned to oil painting in 1894 after more than a decade focused on etching. Created en plein air in the neighboring orchard of Dr. Edward Osborn, the painting reflects Moran’s embrace of Impressionist influences and her deep appreciation for the East Hampton landscape.

The unveiling also marks the first time in decades that three of the four known garden and orchard paintings by Moran — including “The Garden Path” and “In Dr. Edward Osborn’s Garden” — will be exhibited together in the space where they were created.

“By generously donating the painting and returning it to the site where it was created, Kay Gibson and Bob Hefner are helping the public appreciate Mary’s incredible artistic talent once again,” said East Hampton Historical Society Executive Director Steve Long. “The Historical Society is also grateful to have the painting serve as a remembrance of Min Hefner, who was such a vital member of our community.”

The reception will be held at the Thomas and Mary Nimmo Moran Home & Studio, located at 229 Main Street in East Hampton, New York. Additional information is available at easthamptonhistory.org.