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19th-century United States

Works made in the United States in the 19th century.

198 works · hang 752 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. A young, gangly, brown-skinned boy sits on a green chair and leans over the banjo he plays in this loosely painted, vertical composition. His body faces our right in profile, and his head leans to his left and away from us. Light comes from our left to highlight his ear and the side of his chin, but throws his profile into shadow against the lighter background. The boy has short black hair and wears a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black pants, and black shoes. The floor is loosely painted with streaks of earth brown, taupe, and dark moss green. The wall behind the boy is painted with visible strokes of parchment brown, peachy tan, pearl white, and fog gray. The space to our left of the boy is dark brown, and an outline of a standing person is sketched in the top left corner. A grid is overlaid across the boy’s body and the chair.
    Study for "The Dancing Lesson": The Banjo PlayerThomas Eakins, probably 1877Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. Eaton's Neck, Long Island, by John Frederick Kensett, 1872
    Eaton's Neck, Long IslandJohn Frederick Kensett, 1872Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. STUDY FOR "SCIENTIFIC GROUP"
    Study for "Scientific Group"Daniel Huntington, 1858Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
  4. Garden View, Brooklyn, by Fidelia Bridges, ca. 1867
    Garden View, BrooklynFidelia Bridges, ca. 1867Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 1, south wall

  1. A woman with smooth, pale skin and wearing a hat, long dress, and gloves, stands holding a bunch of pumpkin-orange leaves against a background of trees painted with touches of rust orange and pine green in this vertical painting. The woman tips her head back slightly to look at us with dark eyes under arched eyebrows. Her cheeks are flushed and her coral-pink lips closed. Her round black hat perches on the back of her head and she has an inky black, long-sleeved, hip-length jacket with bronze trim at the shoulders, cuffs, and down the front. A gauzy bow is tied at her neck. Her left elbow, on our right, is bent and she holds up her tan-colored, ruffled skirt with a white-gloved hand. The raised skirt exposes sky-blue lining and white, ruffled flounces at her feet. Her right arm, on our left, hangs at her side and holds the handle of a basket. Deep marigold-orange leaves cascade out of the basket. One black shoe peeks out from under her long skirt. She stands on a hill carpeted with crimson-red, tawny-brown, golden yellow, and forest-green leaves. The space behind her is filled with touches and dabs of red, orange, brown, black, and tan.
    AutumnWinslow Homer, 1877Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. A work made of etching and drypoint in brown on cream laid paper.
    Nocturne, from Venice, a Series of Twelve Etchings (the "First Venice Set")James McNeill Whistler, 1879–80Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. The image is a portrait painting showing a man's upper body. He is positioned slightly turned to his right, with his head facing the viewer. The man has fair skin, defined cheekbones, and small, bright eyes. His hair is short, neatly combed, and grey or white. He is wearing a dark coat over a white shirt with a high collar, partially visible. The background is a muted, dark color, providing a simple setting that emphasizes the subject. There are no visible jewelry or objects in the image.
    Aaron BaldwinFrancis Alexander, c. 1835Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. Mountains in Colorado, by John Frederick Kensett, 1870
    Mountains in ColoradoJohn Frederick Kensett, 1870Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Section 2, south wall

  1. The Champion Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull), by Thomas Eakins, 1871
    The Champion Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull)Thomas Eakins, 1871Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. We Both Must Fade (Mrs. Fithian), by Lilly Martin Spencer, 1869
    We Both Must Fade (Mrs. Fithian)Lilly Martin Spencer, 1869Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. Albert Bierstadt
    Gathering StormAlbert Bierstadt, (c. 1857-1858)Courtesy of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution

Section 2, north wall

  1. Autumn Oaks, by George Inness, ca. 1878
    Autumn OaksGeorge Inness, ca. 1878Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. The Witch's Daughter, by Frederick Stuart Church, 1881
    The Witch's DaughterFrederick Stuart Church, 1881Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. VIEW OF VENICE, ITALY
    View of Venice, ItalyRobert Frederick Blum, 1880Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Section 3, north wall

  1. Landscape—Scene from "Thanatopsis", by Asher Brown Durand, 1850
    Landscape—Scene from "Thanatopsis"Asher Brown Durand, 1850Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. The image shows a woman portrait from the waist up. She is seated upright, holding a book in her left hand. She has blue eyes, dark brown hair styled with rolls and a braided crown, and wears elegant 19th-century clothing with a lace collar, a blue-gray garment, and gold earrings. The background is plain, and she is seated on a wooden chair.
    Woman Holding a BookErastus Salisbury Field, c. 1835Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington