Franklin County, New York 1857

James M. Hart made this graphite drawing called Franklin County, New York, likely en plein air. Hart was a key figure in the second generation of Hudson River School painters. His landscapes were shaped by the transcendentalist movement that encouraged artists to seek spiritual meaning in nature. This work depicts a seemingly untouched landscape, but look closely at the fences and tree stumps that reveal human intervention. Hart's landscapes often idealized rural life, yet these idylls can obscure the displacement and labor that came with westward expansion. Whose vision of nature is being prioritized here? What perspectives are left out? Consider the indigenous populations and enslaved peoples who were dispossessed or exploited to create these pastoral scenes. Hart's landscapes encourage us to contemplate the complex relationship between humans and nature, while prompting us to reflect on the power dynamics that shape our perceptions of the land.