Artwork
Sunset
Sunset is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Harvey O. Young. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Harvey O.
About this work
Technique & Style
Classified within the American Wing genre, the piece utilizes traditional oil-on-canvas techniques typical of nineteenth-century landscape art.
Harvey O. Young's Sunset, dated 1870, is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work functions as a landscape painting that incorporates cattle within its composition. Physically, the canvas measures 50.8 centimeters in height and 76.2 centimeters in width.
Classified within the American Wing genre, the piece utilizes traditional oil-on-canvas techniques typical of nineteenth-century landscape art. The formal focus remains on the depiction of rural scenery and livestock, adhering to the stylistic conventions of the period without mention of unusual handling or specific condition reports in the available records.
History & Provenance
The landscape painting titled Sunset was created by Harvey O. Young in 1870. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 50.8 cm in height and 76.2 cm in width. The piece depicts a pastoral scene featuring cattle within a landscape setting.
It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified under The American Wing. The artwork dates to the year 1870, marking its inception during the late 19th century. No specific details regarding the original commission, the initial owner, or the subsequent chain of ownership prior to its acquisition by the museum are provided in the available records.
Overview
Harvey O. Young's Sunset, painted around 1875, is an oil on canvas work characteristic of American Impressionism. This piece captures a serene landscape featuring cattle, reflecting Young's focus on the quieter aspects of the American environment. It represents a significant contribution from an artist deeply involved in the burgeoning Denver art scene.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays two brown cows standing peacefully in a golden field as dusk settles. Their backs are turned to the viewer, engaged in the simple act of grazing under a soft, fading sky. Young elevates this ordinary, unheroic moment, suggesting beauty in the quiet routines of rural life rather than in dramatic natural spectacles.
Context
Created during the 1870s, Sunset stands apart from the prevalent artistic trend of the era, which saw many painters journeying to the Rocky Mountains for monumental subjects. Young, however, remained in the Midwest, choosing to find grandeur in the everyday scenes of the plains. His work offers a counterpoint, emphasizing the understated beauty of familiar surroundings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Harvey Otis Young (November 23, 1840 – May 13, 1901) was an American painter and prospector.
