IN THE HIGHLANDS OF THE HUDSON

Object/Artifact

-

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

IN THE HIGHLANDS OF THE HUDSON

Entry/Object ID

L.2012.211

Description

While it was not uncommon to portray a romantic view of the Hudson by moonlight, such as Moonlight on the Hudson in this exhibition, this artist captures a more intimate night scene along the river's bank. In this aquatint, most likely the work of John William Hill, firelight illuminates a pair of passengers disembarking from a steamship. One man hoists a trunk over his shoulder, while another helps a woman to step from the tender that ferried them from the ship, shown steaming away in the distance. Both the composition and the atmosphere seem especially suited to the artist's technique of stippling, or building up softly gradated colors with tiny dots or brushstrokes. Hill, a noted miniaturist, used this technique to great effect, and here it is circumstantial evidence for the attribution. Colored aquatint of figures on riverbank at night; rowboat on riverbank at bottom center; two figures assist woman stepping out of boat; figure on shore carrying large chest on shoulder; wood fire on beach at bottom left; smoke from fire drifts over river; rocks along river bank; soil outcrop with trees at left; steamboat in river at center right; mountains at opposite shore; at bottom center, penciled: "In the Highlands of the Hudson"; at bottom right, penciled: "J Hill"; at bottom left, penciled: "Passengers discharged from Steamboat"; verso, at center, penciled: "In the Highlands of the Hudson".

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

John William Hill

Attribution

Artist

Artist

John Hill

Attribution

Artist

Date made

1830 - 1850

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

6-15/16 in

Width

9-11/16 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 6 15/16 x 9 11/16 in. (17.6 x 24.6 cm)

Material

Paper, ink, Watercolor

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Paper is yellowed with foxing stains throughout; partial page of book; rectangular impression around print; verso: tape (2 pieces) at top edge; stained.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

William Diebold

Notes

Former owner

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

This object was accessioned in 2012, but it was acquired earlier [Jessa J. Krick, 4/12/2012].

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Administrative Office, Archive Room, Shelf O3, B5

Note Type

Department

Note

Library