Accession Number
1983/2.241

Title
Home in the Hills

Artist(s)
Thomas Doughty

Object Creation Date
circa 1840

Medium & Support
oil on panel

Dimensions
18 1/4 in. x 24 3/16 in. ( 46.4 cm x 61.4 cm )

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. Irving and Shirley Levitt

Subject matter
Thomas Doughty was a well-known American landscape painter during the first half of the 19th century. This scene is an example of his evocative approach to landscape painting. Rather than showing a specific location, he constructed a scene of domestic tranquility within the natural beauty of the American wilderness. However, the cultivated land, with house, pond and human figures, is seen through the dark and wild vegetation of the forest surrounding it. Trees frame the composition on each side and lead the viewer's eye into the painting.

Physical Description
This landscape painting shows rounded green mountains receding into the distance and soft sunlight streaming through billowy white clouds. In the foreground, painted in tones of dark brown and green, there is a rocky formation and a small waterfall formed by a stream passing over the rocks. One tall tree with lush greenery stands on the far left and a smaller tree frames the scene on the right. In the central part of the painting there is a stone house and pond. A few figures are scattered in this grassy area and someone stands in the open doorway of the house. The background shows a wide valley extending into the distance. Spots of sunlight highlight areas of the landscape such as the waterfall, the house, tree formations and the hillside above the house.

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Collection Area
Western

Rights
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Keywords
Figures
clouds
deciduous trees
hills
house
houses
landscapes (environments)
trees
water