Spring's Palette 

Robert Lewis Reid painted "Spring's Palette" using a soft, impressionistic style which situates it within the American art scene of the late 19th century. Amidst the rise of industrialization and urbanization, Reid and his contemporaries turned to nature as a source of solace and inspiration. This focus on the landscape provided an opportunity to explore themes of national identity and belonging. However, we should ask; whose land is being represented? And who has access to this idealized nature? The absence of human figures invites viewers to project their own identities and experiences onto the scene. Reid does not directly engage with the social issues of his time, yet "Spring's Palette" reflects the complex relationship between art, identity, and the American landscape. It encourages us to consider whose stories are being told, and whose are being left out.