Floor plan

East wing: The Nineteenth CenturyThe Hudson River School

The Hudson River School

Niagara Falls by Moonlight, by Frederic Edwin Church, probably 1856
The painting depicts a tranquil lake scene with a low horizon line showing a pale green hill in the background under a pale, cloudy sky. Closer to us, on the right, there is a large, textured rock surrounded by greenery and red flowers. In the distance, a wooden dock extends into the lake on the left, and a person wearing red appears to sit or stand with their back to us.
Above Tower Falls, Yellowstone, by Thomas Moran, 1872
View near Newport, by John Frederick Kensett, 1860s
Eaton's Neck, Long Island, by John Frederick Kensett, 1872
Twilight in the Wilderness, by Frederic Edwin Church, 1860
This painting shows a view looking out over a vast landscape. Most of the painting is circular, with a small part of the bottom bleeding out of the circle towards us. The top third of the circle shows a mountain range with a large purple peak in the distance. In front of the mountain is a faint rainbow. A body of water flows from in front of the mountain to the bottom of the painting, weaving in between shorter white peaks. Towards the bottom, the water appears to flow into small, layered pools of various bright colors including yellow, orange, red, pink, blue, and teal. The sky is a light blue-gray color. The background of the painting outside of the circle is plain paper.

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

American landscape painters of the mid-1800s who made wilderness their grand subject.

Section 1, north wall

  1. Niagara Falls by Moonlight, by Frederic Edwin Church, probably 1856
    Niagara Falls by MoonlightFrederic Edwin Church, probably 1856Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. The painting depicts a tranquil lake scene with a low horizon line showing a pale green hill in the background under a pale, cloudy sky. Closer to us, on the right, there is a large, textured rock surrounded by greenery and red flowers. In the distance, a wooden dock extends into the lake on the left, and a person wearing red appears to sit or stand with their back to us.
    Landing at Sabbath Day PointJohn Frederick Kensett, c. 1853Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. Above Tower Falls, Yellowstone, by Thomas Moran, 1872
    Above Tower Falls, YellowstoneThomas Moran, 1872Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  4. View near Newport, by John Frederick Kensett, 1860s
    View near NewportJohn Frederick Kensett, 1860sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Section 1, south wall

  1. Eaton's Neck, Long Island, by John Frederick Kensett, 1872
    Eaton's Neck, Long IslandJohn Frederick Kensett, 1872Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Twilight in the Wilderness, by Frederic Edwin Church, 1860
    Twilight in the WildernessFrederic Edwin Church, 1860Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. This painting shows a view looking out over a vast landscape. Most of the painting is circular, with a small part of the bottom bleeding out of the circle towards us. The top third of the circle shows a mountain range with a large purple peak in the distance. In front of the mountain is a faint rainbow. A body of water flows from in front of the mountain to the bottom of the painting, weaving in between shorter white peaks. Towards the bottom, the water appears to flow into small, layered pools of various bright colors including yellow, orange, red, pink, blue, and teal. The sky is a light blue-gray color. The background of the painting outside of the circle is plain paper.
    Minerva Terrace, YellowstoneThomas Moran, 1872Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, south wall

  1. AMERICAN PLAINS WITH MOUNTAIN RANGE IN THE DISTANCE
    American Plains with Mountain Range in the DistanceThomas Moran, before 1872Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
  2. Mountains in Colorado, by John Frederick Kensett, 1870
    Mountains in ColoradoJohn Frederick Kensett, 1870Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. The Valley of Wyoming, by Jasper Francis Cropsey, 1865
    The Valley of WyomingJasper Francis Cropsey, 1865Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 2, north wall

  1. October in the Marshes, by John Frederick Kensett, 1872
    October in the MarshesJohn Frederick Kensett, 1872Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Lake George, by John Frederick Kensett, 1869
    Lake GeorgeJohn Frederick Kensett, 1869Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, north wall

  1. The Parthenon, by Frederic Edwin Church, 1871
    The ParthenonFrederic Edwin Church, 1871Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Near Ariccia, Italy, by Sanford Robinson Gifford, 1868
    Near Ariccia, ItalySanford Robinson Gifford, 1868Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Section 3, south wall

  1. CENTURY PLANT, JAMAICA
    Century Plant, JamaicaFrederic Edwin Church, May–September 1865Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
  2. View of Florence, by Thomas Cole, 1837
    View of FlorenceThomas Cole, 1837Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art