The Departure

The Departure was commissioned in 1837 by William P. Van Rensselaer of Albany, New York, for Thomas Cole, who executed the oil on canvas work that year. After its completion, the painting entered the collection of William Wilson Corcoran, who acquired it in 1853. Corcoran later donated the piece on 10 May 1869 to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The work remained in that institution until 2014, when it was transferred to the National Gallery of Art, where it is presently held. The painting measures 39.5 × 63 cm and portrays a house, tree and mountain.

The Departure has been held at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., since 2014, when the institution acquired it from the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The painting had entered the Corcoran in 1869 as a gift from collector William Wilson Corcoran, who had purchased it by 1853. Originally commissioned in 1837 by William P. Van Rensselaer of Albany, the work passed through the Corcoran's collection for roughly 145 years before its transfer to the National Gallery of Art.

Thomas Cole completed The Departure, an oil on canvas painting, in 1837. This landscape composition presents a serene and uncluttered view, characterized by a sense of calm. The artist employed fundamental forms and a restrained palette to evoke a tranquil atmosphere, inviting contemplation of its simple yet profound scene.

The painting features a solitary house situated at the base of a towering mountain, with a prominent tree occupying the foreground. This arrangement of elements contributes to the work's overall feeling of quietude. Cole's deliberate choice of subject matter and its presentation cultivates a peaceful and unassuming visual narrative.