Artwork
Harvest Time
Harvest Time is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist George Inness. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
By focusing on these specific elements, the field, the tree, and the act of harvest, the painting represents the culmination of the agricultural cycle.
George Inness's 1864 oil painting, Harvest Time, visually centers on an agrarian landscape defined by a harvested field and a prominent tree. The work's iconography is literal, directly depicting the seasonal activity of gathering crops within a rural setting. By focusing on these specific elements, the field, the tree, and the act of harvest, the painting represents the culmination of the agricultural cycle.
The composition serves as a straightforward documentation of American farm life during the mid-nineteenth century, emphasizing the relationship between the natural environment and human labor without introducing complex allegorical figures or obscure symbolic codes beyond the inherent significance of the harvest itself.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1864, Harvest Time is an oil painting on canvas by George Inness. The work measures approximately 56.5 by 76.8 centimeters. Stylistically, the composition depicts a rural landscape featuring a field, trees, and harvest activities, reflecting Inness's focus on American agrarian scenes during this period.
The application of oil paint on a woven canvas support was characteristic of the artist's standard practice for easel paintings created in the United States during the mid-nineteenth century. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where its physical attributes including the specific dimensions and material composition are documented.
History & Provenance
Harvest Time is an oil-on-canvas painting executed in 1864 in the United States by American artist George Inness, who specialized in landscape subjects featuring trees and harvest scenes. It depicts a harvest scene with a field and trees, and measures 56.5 × 76.8 cm. The work entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, where it is catalogued under the accession number 1939.234 and held as part of the permanent collection. The provided records do not list specific past exhibitions or loan history for this particular work.
Overview
George Inness, a notable American landscape artist of the 19th century, completed Harvest Time in 1864. This oil painting captures a serene rural landscape, featuring a field during harvest season and a large, central tree. The work is presently housed in the collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art, representing a key period in the artist's evolving style.
Context
Inness's artistic development saw him initially influenced by the detailed naturalism of the Hudson River School. However, his later work, including Harvest Time, began to integrate broader European artistic traditions and the spiritual philosophies of Emanuel Swedenborg. This shift often led him to imbue his landscapes with a more subjective and emotive quality, reflecting an inner vision rather than mere topographical representation.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
George Inness (May 1, 1825 – August 3, 1894) was an American landscape painter. Now recognized as one of the most influential American artists of the nineteenth century, Inness was influenced by the Hudson River School…
