Floor plan

Style galleriesAntebellum America

Antebellum America

This painting shows a maritime landscape with an expansive view of the ocean and sky. The horizon is positioned in the lower third of the composition, meeting a clear sky with soft, diffused clouds. Two ships appear to be engaged in a conflict on the green, wave-filled water. One large sailing ship with fully extended sails is near the bottom right corner of the painting. It has two tall masts and multiple white sails, and it flies the flag of the U.S.A in several places. The body of this ship is gray with a wide white stripe, and cannons stick out of small holes across the ship. Small people climb on ropes up into the sails, which are covered in small white and gray dots, perhaps indicating holes. Another ship is visible in the distance on the left side of the painting, and its cannons appear to be firing, with bursts of yellow flame and smoke drifting across the water. This ship flies several flags in shades of red, blue, and white. In the background, the faint gray silhouettes of other ships can be seen across the water. The ocean is depicted with smooth brushstrokes in shades of green and white, and the wide sky is a gradient, with light blue at the top and pale yellow towards the horizon. Faint white clouds drift in the top left corner of the painting.
Landscape with Haywain, by Worthington Whittredge, 1861
We look across and down into a valley with a person sitting near a tall tree and a train puffing smoke beyond, all enclosed by a band of mountains in the distance in this horizontal landscape painting. Closest to us, several broken, jagged tree stumps are spaced across the painting’s width. A little distance away and to our left, the person wears a yellow, broad-brimmed hat, red vest, and gray pants. He reclines propped on his left elbow near a walking path beside a tall, slender tree with golden leaves. The green meadow stretching in front of him is dotted with tree stumps cut close to the ground. Beyond the meadow, puffs of white smoke trail behind a long steam locomotive that crosses a bridge spanning a tree-filled ravine, headed to our left. The ravine creates a diagonal line across the canvas, moving subtly away from us to our left. The train has climbed out of the valley, away from a cluster of brick-red buildings. The most prominent structure is a train roundhouse, a large building with a high, domed roof to the right of the tracks. Smoke rises from chimneys on long, warehouse-like buildings, and a steeple and smaller structures suggest a church and homes to our left. Hazy in the distance, a row of mountains lines the horizon, which comes about halfway up the composition. The sky above deepens from pale, shell pink over the mountains to watery, pale blue above. The artist signed the work in tiny letters in the lower left corner: “G. Inness.”
Major Thomas Biddle, by Thomas Wilcocks Sully, 1832
The image displays curved and angular lines creating an abstract composition hinting at humanoid shapes and possible vegetation or trees. The lines suggest motion and activity, with shapes resembling drums and sticks scattered around. The overall impression is of a gathering or event, with figures depicted standing or moving, along with lines indicating movement or sound waves from musical instruments.
Portrait of a Young Girl with Rose, by Oliver Tarbell Eddy, ca. 1838
Landscape, by Jasper F. Cropsey, before 1918

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

American art between the young republic and the Civil War.

First room, north wall

  1. This painting shows a maritime landscape with an expansive view of the ocean and sky. The horizon is positioned in the lower third of the composition, meeting a clear sky with soft, diffused clouds. Two ships appear to be engaged in a conflict on the green, wave-filled water. One large sailing ship with fully extended sails is near the bottom right corner of the painting. It has two tall masts and multiple white sails, and it flies the flag of the U.S.A in several places. The body of this ship is gray with a wide white stripe, and cannons stick out of small holes across the ship. Small people climb on ropes up into the sails, which are covered in small white and gray dots, perhaps indicating holes. Another ship is visible in the distance on the left side of the painting, and its cannons appear to be firing, with bursts of yellow flame and smoke drifting across the water. This ship flies several flags in shades of red, blue, and white. In the background, the faint gray silhouettes of other ships can be seen across the water. The ocean is depicted with smooth brushstrokes in shades of green and white, and the wide sky is a gradient, with light blue at the top and pale yellow towards the horizon. Faint white clouds drift in the top left corner of the painting.
    The United States Frigate "President" Engaging the British Squadron, 1815Fitz Henry Lane, 1850Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. Landscape with Haywain, by Worthington Whittredge, 1861
    Landscape with HaywainWorthington Whittredge, 1861Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. We look across and down into a valley with a person sitting near a tall tree and a train puffing smoke beyond, all enclosed by a band of mountains in the distance in this horizontal landscape painting. Closest to us, several broken, jagged tree stumps are spaced across the painting’s width. A little distance away and to our left, the person wears a yellow, broad-brimmed hat, red vest, and gray pants. He reclines propped on his left elbow near a walking path beside a tall, slender tree with golden leaves. The green meadow stretching in front of him is dotted with tree stumps cut close to the ground. Beyond the meadow, puffs of white smoke trail behind a long steam locomotive that crosses a bridge spanning a tree-filled ravine, headed to our left. The ravine creates a diagonal line across the canvas, moving subtly away from us to our left. The train has climbed out of the valley, away from a cluster of brick-red buildings. The most prominent structure is a train roundhouse, a large building with a high, domed roof to the right of the tracks. Smoke rises from chimneys on long, warehouse-like buildings, and a steeple and smaller structures suggest a church and homes to our left. Hazy in the distance, a row of mountains lines the horizon, which comes about halfway up the composition. The sky above deepens from pale, shell pink over the mountains to watery, pale blue above. The artist signed the work in tiny letters in the lower left corner: “G. Inness.”
    The Lackawanna ValleyGeorge Inness, c. 1856Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

First room, south wall

  1. Major Thomas Biddle, by Thomas Wilcocks Sully, 1832
    Major Thomas BiddleThomas Wilcocks Sully, 1832Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image displays curved and angular lines creating an abstract composition hinting at humanoid shapes and possible vegetation or trees. The lines suggest motion and activity, with shapes resembling drums and sticks scattered around. The overall impression is of a gathering or event, with figures depicted standing or moving, along with lines indicating movement or sound waves from musical instruments.
    End of the March [recto]Winslow Homer, 1862Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. Portrait of a Young Girl with Rose, by Oliver Tarbell Eddy, ca. 1838
    Portrait of a Young Girl with RoseOliver Tarbell Eddy, ca. 1838Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  4. Landscape, by Jasper F. Cropsey, before 1918
    LandscapeJasper F. Cropsey, before 1918Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Second room, south wall

  1. This is a drawing of various sketches related to woodcutting or carpentry. The drawing features several pencil sketches on tan paper. On the left side, there are depictions of a barrel or basket, and beneath it, several outline sketches of figures engaged in activities involving woodwork. The right side of the drawing shows a figure bent over a large beam or branch. The sketches are simple, with minimal detail, capturing the basic form and movement of the figures and objects involved in woodwork-related activities.
    Soldiers felling sapling, and weaving saplings into baskets [verso]Winslow Homer, 1862Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. STUDY OF SEASCAPE. PORCUPINE ISLANDS, BAR HARBOR, ME
    Study of seascape. Porcupine Islands, Bar Harbor, MEWilliam Stanley Haseltine, 1859Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
  3. A pale-skinned child wearing a short-sleeved red dress and a white bonnet stands before a shadowy green forest under dark clouds in this vertical portrait painting. The child’s over-large head is out of scale with the rest of her body. She looks toward us with brown eyes in her wide, round-jawed face. She has a broad nose, and her pale lips are set in a line. Her lace bonnet lines her black hair like frothy seafoam and is tied with spring-green bows at the top and under her right ear, to our left. The low neckline of her crimson dress is lined with a wide white ruffle. Red fabric covers her hands, which are gathered in front of her waist. Gray clouds sweep over the hazy green forest in the background. A gnarled tree grows up the left side of the painting, framing the girl.
    Portrait of a ChildEdward Hicks, c. 1840Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. Self-Portrait, by Oliver Tarbell Eddy, ca. 1850
    Self-PortraitOliver Tarbell Eddy, ca. 1850Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Second room, north wall

  1. STUDY OF FOLIAGE
    Study of foliageWilliam Trost Richards, October 25, 1862Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
  2. 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
  3. The image shows a child standing upright, facing forward. They have fair skin, rounded cheeks, short reddish-brown hair, and are wearing a white dress with lace details and a pink ribbon, white pants with lace trim, blue shoes, a red necklace and a heart-shaped pendant. They hold a light pink rose in their left hand and a small black drawstring purse with red accents in their right hand. The background is a gradient from dark green to light green, with a floral-patterned carpet in black, brown, and red on the floor.
    Girl with Reticule and RoseJoseph Whiting Stock, c. 1840Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Third room, north wall

  1. Mrs. Goss (The Woman in Fur), by Caroline L. Ransom, c. 1850s
    Mrs. Goss (The Woman in Fur)Caroline L. Ransom, c. 1850sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. The painting features a scene showing men in a boat landing on a shore. The horizon is low, with larger sailing ships seen in the distance on the right, floating on the dark green water. The central boat has around eight men in it, all with tan skin and dark hair, dressed in bright garments in shades of red, blue, and gold. Many of them wear plumed helmets and have jewelry or badges adorning them. The boat is heading towards land on the left, and one man stands at the front of the boat, holding a white flag. The land on the left is green, with tall palm trees and a rocky gray mountain. People with dark skin can be seen in on the land in the distance, some climbing the mountain and others standing beneath trees. The sky is a gradient from pinkish-orange near the horizon to light blue at the top of the painting, with a few faint gray clouds.
    The Landing of ColumbusEdward Hicks, c. 1837Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington