A Dream in the Apennine 

Samuel Palmer created this landscape, A Dream in the Apennine, using oil paint on canvas. Oil paint, of course, comes from pigments mixed with linseed or other oils, and Palmer applied it with great attention to the qualities of light across the scene. Notice how he uses the colors, textures and composition of his scene to convey a sense of peace and harmony. The setting sun casts a warm glow over the fields, mountains and trees, while a group of figures with their animals journey through the landscape. The brushstrokes are applied very thinly to the sky, but thickly elsewhere, suggesting the uneven qualities of the land. Palmer’s labor-intensive application of paint is evocative here, particularly in this romantic image of rural Italian life. It reminds us of the connection between the work on the canvas, and the hard work that the figures in the painting are engaged in. The painting serves not just as an idealized vision, but as a testament to human endeavor. This close attention to process and setting elevates the artwork beyond a simple aesthetic exercise.