Hudson River View from Dobbs Ferry, New York

The paintings of Hudson River School founders Thomas Cole and Asher Durand capture nature in a range of moods. John Kensett was one of several painters associated with this group, including Fitz Henry Lane and Martin Johnson Heade, who emphasized the transcendental qualities of light and atmosphere in peaceful sunrise or sunset scenes. Like his Hudson River School colleagues, Kensett restrained his brushwork in order to accentuate the subtle gradations of tone. His signature works are coastal, river, or lake scenes with selective, spare compositions that highlight landmasses against glass-smooth water.

In Kensett’s sweeping view of Dobb’s Ferry on the Hudson, the artist juxtaposed the reflective expanse of the river between the dense mass of the riverbanks. His topographical, bird’s-eye view meticulously encompassed the buildings, fields and woodlands, and the delicately illuminated boats on the water. The masterfully created twilight atmosphere draws the eye into the distance.