Artwork
The Valley of Wyoming
The Valley of Wyoming is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist Jasper Francis Cropsey. It dates from 1865 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Milton Courtright, first president of the New York Elevated Railroad Company, paid Jasper Francis Cropsey $3,500 to commemorate the Pennsylvania valley where he grew up. Finished in 1865 as the Civil War ended, the seven-foot-wide canvas sets Courtright's own house in the far distance beneath sunlit hills, its original frame carrying verses from Thomas Campbell's Gertrude of Wyoming about the 1778 massacre of settlers there.
Overview
Jasper Francis Cropsey's 1865 oil on canvas, The Valley of Wyoming, captures the scenic expanse of Northeastern Pennsylvania. This large-scale landscape, measuring seven feet wide, was completed at the close of the American Civil War. It represents a significant commission for Cropsey, a notable figure in American landscape painting, and is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
In the distant background, nestled beneath sunlit hills, is the residence of Milton Courtright, the patron who commissioned the work.
The painting renders the Wyoming Valley, a region in northeastern Pennsylvania, with specific personal resonance. In the distant background, nestled beneath sunlit hills, is the residence of Milton Courtright, the patron who commissioned the work. The artwork's original frame features lines from Thomas Campbell's poem, 'Gertrude of Wyoming,' which recounts the 1778 massacre of settlers in the area, adding a layer of historical memory to the serene landscape.
History & Provenance
Milton Courtright, the inaugural president of the New York Elevated Railroad Company, commissioned this expansive landscape from Jasper Francis Cropsey. Courtright, a native of the Wyoming Valley, paid $3,500 for the painting, which was finished in 1865. The artwork subsequently entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed within the American Wing.
Context
Completed in 1865, as the American Civil War concluded, The Valley of Wyoming reflects a period of national transition. The inclusion of verses from Thomas Campbell's 'Gertrude of Wyoming' on its frame situates the painting within a broader historical narrative. This poetic reference evokes the 1778 massacre of settlers, linking the tranquil contemporary scene to a violent past and the region's enduring identity.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jasper Francis Cropsey was an American architect and artist. He is best known for his Hudson River School landscape paintings.
Compared in the Impressionism course 
Compared in the Edo/Japonisme course