Local Painter Presents Cheshire Mammoth Cheese Painting To Town
Local artist Leonard Stomski and his wife, Doris, are introduced by members of the Historical Commission.
Stomski and his wife, Doris, presented the Selectmen on Tuesday with a high-definition print of the painting that depicts the famous cheese wheel being sent off President Thomas Jefferson in 1802. The actual painting is 4-foot by 8-foot.
"My wife and I are celebrating 40 years here in Cheshire and we did that by creating this painting," Stomski said. "We would like to gift it to the town and have it in Town Hall.
The board thanked Stomski for his work.
"We will have to put it upstairs. It is beautiful," Selectwoman Carol Francesconi said. "Thank you very much."
The 1,200-pound wheel, reportedly made from the milk of 900 cows in an oversized cider press, can be seen in the painting on a decorated wagon pulled by six horses while residents of Cheshire see it off in a celebratory manner. Milk cans and another cheese being pressed are painted in the lower right-hand corner.
The cheese was created at the urging of the Rev. John Leland, the local Baptist minister and a friend of the president's. It arrived at the White House in January 1802 and Jefferson described it as being over 4 feet in diameter and 15 inches thick. It lasted at least two years.
Stomski also gave the town all rights to "Cheshire Cheese Goes to Washington DC" so officials can use it however they want and can utilize all possible proceeds the painting generates.
"Usually the copyrights belong to the artists but I want to turn them over to you people so you are free to do whatever you want with the painting," he said.
"Any proceeds go entirely to the town of Cheshire."
He asked that Historical Commission and the Selectmen take a look at the painting before the final hanging to make sure everything looks historically accurate.
Selectman Robert Ciskowksi suggested modernizing the painting by painting in the current select board.
"Could we get the Board of Selectmen in there somewhere?" he joked. "We could modernize it. It's not the Constitution, it could be interpreted."
The Selectmen plan to hang the painting Monday.
Updated Wednesday to clarify the board received a print of the painting on Tuesday and adding the painting's size.
Tags: cheshire cheese, gift, painting,
