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Artwork

American Landscape

Elizabeth Gilbert Jerome , 1872

American Landscape, by Elizabeth Gilbert Jerome, oil, 1872
American Landscape, by Elizabeth Gilbert Jerome, oil, 1872

American Landscape is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Elizabeth Gilbert Jerome. It dates from 1872 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Elizabeth Gilbert Jerome’s 1872 oil on canvas titled *American Landscape* is part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C. The work depicts a tranquil forest at twilight, with a meandering river that mirrors the warm orange hues of the sky. Trees frame the water’s edge, while scattered rocks, branches, and a veil of mist suggest a quiet, natural setting.

Subject & Meaning

The painting presents a serene, late‑day scene in which the river serves as a reflective surface for the fading light, emphasizing the interplay between water and sky. The muted palette of greens, browns, and orange tones conveys a sense of calm and the gradual transition from day to night, inviting contemplation of the landscape’s quiet rhythms.

Technique & Style

Jerome employs soft, blended brushwork to render the gentle shifts of light and atmosphere, a hallmark of late‑nineteenth‑century American landscape painting. The naturalistic rendering of foliage, water, and mist reflects a realist approach, while the emphasis on fleeting illumination hints at Impressionist influences without abandoning precise detail.

History & Provenance

Created in 1872, the canvas entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on view. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s broader effort to represent American landscape painting of the post‑Civil War era, preserving a work that exemplifies the period’s aesthetic concerns.

Artist & collection

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of National Gallery of Art. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.