Lake George 1857

Curator: What a remarkably still image! I can almost feel the heavy humidity and the sun trying to burn through the morning haze. Editor: Absolutely! That gentle light certainly sets a mood. This is “Lake George,” an oil on canvas created in 1857 by John William Casilear. The work is part of the Hudson River School tradition and it currently resides here, at the Met. Curator: Well, I can definitely see that Hudson River influence in its almost reverent depiction of nature, even the small detail. What catches my eye is how smoothly the paint has been applied to almost dissolve into the light, which is quite impressive. What do you think about it? Editor: You’re right, the application is incredible. When I look, though, I’m really struck by how the artist creates this romantic vision out of essentially industrial materials: oil paint, canvas, wooden stretchers… It highlights this emerging industrial awareness trying to come to terms with untouched landscapes, perhaps? Curator: Possibly! The choice to paint "en plein air," to actually be *there*, immersed in that place…It’s like a devotional act! Casilear captures the almost transcendental quality of that wilderness—that particular, untouched spot in creation! Editor: True! But “untouched” is always relative, isn't it? Someone had to transport those art supplies, grind those pigments, manage the forestry of those materials and weave that canvas. It wasn’t divorced from industrial growth, it was deeply reliant upon it. Curator: You make a good point; it’s always important to contextualize artistic visions. For me, Casilear has managed to still instill in me some nostalgia of the land through a calm, quiet painting. Editor: Well, considering that context truly enriches how we approach any artwork, I appreciate it so much more knowing what I know!