Mist Rising at Sunset in the Catskills
1861
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
1861
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
You see a soft pink sky over rolling green hills, with white mist curling between the trees. Gifford painted this quickly, right on the spot. The loose brushstrokes make the mist feel alive—like it could drift away any second. He used these small studies to remember light and mood for bigger paintings later. If you like this, look up *glazing*—the thin, transparent layers of paint that give the sky its glow.
