Lake George, New York 1872

John Frederick Kensett, a leading figure of the Hudson River School, painted 'Lake George, New York' in the latter half of the 19th century. In that era of westward expansion and industrial growth, Kensett, like many of his contemporaries, turned to landscape painting as a way to capture and celebrate the natural beauty of the American landscape. But underneath the surface of this serene lake scene lies a complex relationship between humans and nature. The quiet stillness might evoke feelings of nostalgia for a simpler time, even as it obscures the displacement of indigenous populations from their ancestral lands. Consider how the painting invites us to reflect on our own place within the landscape, and whether we, too, are complicit in the ongoing transformation of the natural world. Kensett's 'Lake George' offers a window into the past, but also a mirror reflecting our present-day relationship with the environment.