Hudson River Landscape
On View In:
Gallery 323
Artist:   Homer Dodge Martin  
Title:   Hudson River Landscape  
Date:   c. 1860-1865  
Medium:   Oil on canvas  
Dimensions:   13 7/8 x 24 in. (35.24 x 60.96 cm) (canvas)  
Credit Line:   Gift of Rev. Richard L. Hillstrom  
Location:   Gallery 323  

Admired for panoramic views of the Hudson River Valley, Homer Dodge Martin was particularly concerned with evoking the spirit and mood of nature. Influenced by the landscapists Thomas Cole and John F. Kensett, he preferred to paint naturalistic scenes of the Catskill and Adirondack mountains in New York state. In Hudson River Landscape, probably completed in the mid-1860s, Martin carefully detailed the light, atmosphere, and space of the idyllic riverbed. His use of naturalistic color and a balanced composition further enhances the inherent beauty and tranquility of the setting. He included distant figures only as a visual reminder of humankind's insignificance in the face of nature's imposing majesty. Like many of his contemporaries, Martin usually painted his landscapes back in his studio, working from memory or preliminary sketches.

Artist/Creator(s)     
Name:   Martin, Homer Dodge  
Role:   Maker  
Nationality:   American  
Life Dates:   American, 1836 - 1897  
 

Object Description  
  
Inscriptions:   Signature LL in brown: [H.D. Martin] Labels on verso (frame): ['Hudson River Landscape, by Homer Dodge Martin (1836-1897)', Fine Prints  
Classification:   Paintings  
Physical Description:   Landscape with mountains in background; tall tree at right; 2 figures, one on horseback, right of center  
Creation Place:   North America, United States, , ,  
Accession #:   2001.92  
Owner:   The Minneapolis Institute of Arts