Who painted A Cliff in the Katskills?

A Cliff in the Katskills was painted by Jervis McEntee.

Where can I see A Cliff in the Katskills?

A Cliff in the Katskills is held by Brooklyn Museum.

What movement is A Cliff in the Katskills?

A Cliff in the Katskills is associated with American Impressionism.

Artwork

A Cliff in the Katskills

Jervis McEntee

A Cliff in the Katskills is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Jervis McEntee. It is held in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum.

About this work

Overview

Jervis McEntee’s 1893 oil painting *A Cliff in the Katskills* depicts a rugged cliffscape typical of the Hudson River School’s interest in the American wilderness. The canvas presents a prominent rock formation in the foreground, vegetation clinging to its slopes, and a sky mottled with light clouds, conveying a calm, natural atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a steep cliff whose brown and green foliage contrasts with the muted sky, suggesting a quiet moment in an untamed landscape. The sparse trees in the distance and the expansive sky emphasize the scale of nature, inviting contemplation of the region’s serene beauty.

Technique & Style

McEntee employs thick, impasto brushwork on the rocks and trees, creating a tactile surface that enhances the sense of solidity. The handling of light and shadow reflects an American Impressionist tendency emerging in the late nineteenth century, while the overall tonal palette remains restrained, reinforcing the work’s tranquil mood.

History & Provenance

Although McEntee was less celebrated than some of his Hudson River School peers, he maintained connections with the movement’s leading artists. *A Cliff in the Katskills* entered the Brooklyn Museum’s collection, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of nineteenth‑century American landscape painting.