Two Temple Place Letter" is represented by Hester Prynne and the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. The two remaining characters are Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle and his daughter. At the feet of Rip Van Winkle is his dog and at those of his daughter is the gnomes’ keg of liquor, the drinking of which had sent Van Winkle into his long slumber and freedom from his bothersome wife for 20 years! The staircase hall is overlooked by a gallery that features statues made by Nicholls, having American literary associations, and a frieze in relief which features 82 characters from Shakespeare’s "Othello", "Henry VIII", "Antony
Dismissal of School on an October Afternoon memorial exhibit. In 1992, this painting was featured in the "An Exhibit of American Painting, 1815–1865: from the M. and M. Karolik Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston." "Dismissal from School on an October Afternoon" was not Inman's only work influenced by Irving. Inman was particularly interested in Rip van Winkle. In 1823, "Rip Van Winkle Awakening from His Long Sleep" was painted. Several years later Inman painted his "James Henry Hackett as Rip Van Winkle". There is also an undated sketch titled "Rip Van Winkle". James Cozzens commissioned the painting. Ownership soon passed to William P. Jones.