Untitled
1862
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1862
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows a train winding through a dark, dense forest. The trees loom tall on both sides. Smoke rises from the engine’s stack. Ryder worked for railroads in the 1860s. He made pictures to sell the idea of safe travel. Investors liked these images. They showed progress cutting through wilderness. The tracks go nowhere here. They hint at lands just out of sight. Check out James Fitzallen Ryder (American, 1826–1904).
