Artwork
Autumn on Greenwood Lake
Autumn on Greenwood Lake is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist Jasper Francis Cropsey. It dates from 1861 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition features the lake itself, surrounded by hills and mountains, with trees displaying fall colors under a sky filled with clouds and the sun.
Jasper Francis Cropsey's Autumn on Greenwood Lake depicts a vibrant autumnal landscape centered on Greenwood Lake. The composition features the lake itself, surrounded by hills and mountains, with trees displaying fall colors under a sky filled with clouds and the sun. Cattle are shown grazing within the scene, adding a pastoral element to the natural setting.
The work represents the American landscape tradition, capturing the specific seasonal beauty of the Greenwood Lake region in 1861.
Technique & Style
Autumn on Greenwood Lake is an oil painting executed by Jasper Francis Cropsey in 1861. The work is created using oil paint applied to a canvas support. Measuring 61.6 cm in height and 97.5 cm in width, the piece is classified as a landscape painting.
The composition depicts a scene featuring Greenwood Lake surrounded by hills and mountains, with elements such as trees, cattle, clouds, and the sun visible within the autumnal setting.
History & Provenance
Jasper Francis Cropsey painted Autumn on Greenwood Lake in 1861, creating an oil on canvas depiction of a seasonal Hudson River landscape featuring cloud, river, tree, hill, mountain, autumn foliage, Greenwood Lake, sun, sky, and cattle. The work entered the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where it remains on view.
The painting was first exhibited at the National Academy of Design in New York in 1861 and later entered a private collection before being acquired by the museum.
Jasper Francis Cropsey's Autumn on Greenwood Lake (1861) is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The painting is an oil on canvas landscape measuring 61.6 cm in height and 97.5 cm in width. The provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the work. Additionally, there is no information available in the given records regarding the artwork's exhibition history.
Overview
Autumn on Greenwood Lake, painted by Jasper Francis Cropsey in 1861, is a quintessential example of the Hudson River School's celebration of the American landscape during the peak of the autumn season. The composition centers on the calm waters of Greenwood Lake in New Jersey, which mirror the vibrant golds, oranges, and reds of the surrounding foliage. Cropsey employs his characteristic luminist technique, capturing the specific quality of late afternoon light as it filters through the canopy and reflects off the water's surface.
In the foreground, a small group of cattle grazes near the shore, adding a pastoral element that grounds the grandeur of the natural setting in everyday rural life. A solitary boat drifts in the middle distance, emphasizing the tranquility and scale of the scene. Created during the early years of the American Civil War, the work reflects Cropsey's ongoing dedication to depicting the beauty and serenity of the American wilderness, a theme that defined his mature career.
The painting demonstrates his mastery in rendering atmospheric effects and his ability to synthesize detailed botanical observation with a harmonious, idealized vision of nature.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jasper Francis Cropsey was an American architect and artist. He is best known for his Hudson River School landscape paintings.
