Artwork
Passing off of the Storm
Passing off of the Storm is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist John Frederick Kensett. It dates from 1872 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The painting belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing classification, and its imagery centers on a boat navigating stormy waters.
Passing off of the Storm is executed in oil on canvas, a medium consistent with Kensett's mature landscape practice. The support measures 28.9 by 62.2 centimeters, yielding a horizontal format suited to its marine subject. The painting belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing classification, and its imagery centers on a boat navigating stormy waters.
The relatively modest dimensions and elongated proportions are characteristic of Kensett's late seascape compositions, in which atmospheric handling of weather and sea dominates the picture plane.
History & Provenance
Created by John Frederick Kensett in 1872, Passing off of the Storm is an oil-on-canvas marine landscape measuring 28.9 by 62.2 centimeters. The work was completed during the final year of the artist's life, depicting a boat navigating stormy waters. Currently held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the painting resides in the American Wing.
While specific details regarding the original commission or intermediate ownership transfers are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly dated to 1872. The piece remains a significant example of Kensett's late marine art, preserved in the museum's permanent collection where it continues to be identified by its dimensions and medium.
Passing off of the Storm, an 1872 oil on canvas by John Frederick Kensett, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painting is classified within the museum's American Wing. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available documentation, and no exhibition history beyond its placement in the institution's holdings is documented in the provided sources.
Overview
John Frederick Kensett's Passing off of the Storm, painted in 1872, is an oil on canvas landscape. This work captures a marine scene, depicting the aftermath of turbulent weather. It represents a significant example of Kensett's later artistic output, completed during the final year of his life. The painting is characterized by its evocative portrayal of nature's transition from chaos to calm.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a dark, agitated sea beneath a somber gray sky, indicating the recent passage of a storm. A small sailboat, its white sail illuminated by a faint light, navigates the choppy waters, leaning into the wind. The horizon offers a subtle pink glow, suggesting the storm's receding presence. This depiction evokes a sense of quiet reflection rather than direct observation of a dramatic event.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Frederick Kensett was an American landscape painter and engraver born in Cheshire, Connecticut.
