Sketch for View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm 1836

This sketch by Thomas Cole, titled "Sketch for View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm," is a preliminary study for one of his most famous works. Dated 1836, this painting captures the grandeur of the American landscape with its sweeping vista of a river winding through a valley, framed by the lush greenery of trees. The soft, atmospheric light and clouds reminiscent of a post-thunderstorm sky add a sense of drama and tranquility, characteristic of the Hudson River School.