Artwork

Spring Woods

Spring Woods, by Henry Ward Ranger, oil, 1898
Spring Woods, by Henry Ward Ranger, oil, 1898

Spring Woods is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Henry Ward Ranger. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

A wooded scene of tall trees and dense greenery, painted in oil around 1898. Warm tones give it a cozy feel, with the trees holding center stage and their leaves and branches worked out in close detail.

Subject & Meaning

The painting belongs to the tradition of American landscape art, presenting the woods as its primary subject and visual focus.

Spring Woods is a landscape painting that depicts a forest scene, with trees forming the central compositional element. As a landscape work, it represents the natural woodland environment, focusing on the depiction of trees and the forested setting rather than figures or narrative subjects. The painting belongs to the tradition of American landscape art, presenting the woods as its primary subject and visual focus.

Technique & Style

Spring Woods is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for late nineteenth-century American landscape practice. The canvas measures 71.8 by 91.4 centimetres, yielding a horizontal format suited to its wooded subject. The work belongs to the landscape genre and depicts a forest interior with trees, consistent with Ranger's tonalist approach to woodland scenes.

Held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, the painting is catalogued as an oil on canvas dated 1898.

History & Provenance

Spring Woods is an oil on canvas landscape painted in 1898 by the American artist Henry Ward Ranger. The work belongs to Ranger's mature period, characterized by dense forest scenes rendered with luminous colour. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been displayed in The American Wing, and measures 71.8 cm by 91.4 cm. No evidence of a specific commission or subsequent ownership transfers beyond its acquisition by the museum is documented in the available records, and the specific accession number is not published in the available sources.

Overview

Henry Ward Ranger's Spring Woods, an oil on canvas, was created around 1898. This landscape painting captures a serene forest interior, characteristic of the artist's engagement with American scenery. Ranger was a prominent figure in American art during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, recognized for his Tonalist approach and his leadership role in the Old Lyme Art Colony. The work exemplifies his contribution to the period's landscape tradition.

Context

Henry Ward Ranger, originally from western New York State, played a significant role in American art. He was a key figure in establishing the Old Lyme Art Colony, an influential center for American Impressionist and Tonalist painters. His recognition as a National Academician in 1906 further solidified his standing among his contemporaries, underscoring his contributions to both landscape painting and the broader artistic community.

Spring Woods
Spring Woods, Henry Ward Ranger

Artist & collection

Portrait of Henry Ward Ranger

Artist

Henry Ward Ranger

Henry Ward Ranger (January 29, 1858 – November 7, 1916) was an American artist. Born in western New York State, he was a prominent landscape and marine painter, an important Tonalist, and the leader of the Old Lyme Art…

Frequently asked questions

Who painted Spring Woods?

Spring Woods was painted by Henry Ward Ranger in ca. 1895–1900.

Where can I see Spring Woods?

Spring Woods is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Spring Woods?

Spring Woods is associated with American Impressionism.