Artwork
Study for "Catskill Creek"
Study for "Catskill Creek" is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist Thomas Cole. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
, with a provenance that traces from the artist’s family to private ownership and a 1998 Christie’s sale before acquisition by the gallery.
Measuring 30.5 cm in height and 45.7 cm in width, the oil on wood study was created in 1844 as a preparatory design for Thomas Cole’s painting “Catskill Creek.” It depicts the Catskill Mountains, highlighting a mountain and a tree within a landscape composition. The piece, classified as a landscape painting, is part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C., with a provenance that traces from the artist’s family to private ownership and a 1998 Christie’s sale before acquisition by the gallery.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1844, this landscape study utilizes oil paint applied to a wood panel support. The work measures 30.5 by 45.7 centimeters. As a preparatory piece depicting the Catskill Mountains, trees, and mountainous terrain, the composition focuses on natural elements characteristic of the genre.
The selection of a rigid wooden panel rather than canvas suits a small-scale, closely observed study. The handling of the oil medium on this support allows for the textural representation of the foliage and geological forms found in the depicted region.
History & Provenance
Study for Catskill Creek was executed by Thomas Cole in 1844 as an oil on wood preparatory work for the later painting. The work remained in the artist’s family, first passing to his granddaughter Florence H.C. Vincent and then to her niece, Edith Cole Hill, who inherited the family home in Catskill, New York. After Hill’s estate liquidated the contents in September 1964, the study entered a private collection, was sold at Christie’s New York on 21 May 1998 (lot 84), and was subsequently acquired by the Richard York Gallery, New York, which transferred it to the National Gallery of Art, where it remains in the permanent collection.
Overview
This oil painting on wood, titled Study for "Catskill Creek", presents a tranquil landscape. It serves as a preparatory work, capturing a moment of natural serenity. The artist employs a straightforward arrangement to emphasize the inherent beauty of the outdoor setting, characterized by a prominent tree and a distant mountainous vista. The piece conveys a sense of calm through its visual elements.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Thomas Cole (February 1, 1801 – February 11, 1848) was an Anglo-American artist who founded the Hudson River School art movement.
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