Artwork
Landscape with Waterwheel and Boy Fishing
Landscape with Waterwheel and Boy Fishing is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist George Caleb Bingham. It dates from 1853 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Created in 1853, this oil painting portrays a tranquil riverside setting where a modest stone structure stands beside a flowing river.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1853, this oil painting portrays a tranquil riverside setting where a modest stone structure stands beside a flowing river. A sizable wooden waterwheel turns in the current, while a young boy perched on a nearby ledge engages in fishing. The surrounding foliage is rendered in soft greens, and a gentle light filters from the right, illuminating the scene with a calm atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes human industry and leisure, illustrating a functional waterwheel—likely used for grinding grain—against the quiet activity of a child fishing. This pairing reflects everyday life along the Mississippi and Missouri river corridors, emphasizing the harmonious coexistence of work and recreation in the 19th‑century American frontier.
Technique & Style
Executed in the Hudson River School tradition, the work employs a delicate handling of light to model foliage, stone, and water. Bingham’s brushwork captures the texture of the waterwheel’s timber and the reflective surface of the river, while the subtle gradations of color convey depth and a serene atmosphere typical of mid‑century American landscape painting.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced by George Caleb Bingham, a prominent artist often identified with Missouri and the riverine landscapes of the American West. It entered the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where it remains on view, representing Bingham’s enduring focus on the visual culture of the Mississippi‑Missouri region.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
George Caleb Bingham (March 20, 1811 – July 7, 1879) is recognized as one of the most important American artists of the 19th century.
A View of the Flat Rock on the Schuylkill, near Philadelphia
Landscape with Fisherman and Washerwoman
River Landscape with a Waterfall near Bogstad in Norway
Lakes and Mountains
A Pastoral Scene
Point Breeze, the Estate of Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte at Bordentown, New Jersey
Landscape with Fisherman and Washerwoman
Landscape
The Babbling Brook
Aulandschaft bei Abendstimmung
River Landscape with a Waterfall near Bogstad in Norway
Landscape with a Watermill