Dublin Core
Title
Mohawk River, New York
Description
This painting, seemingly located on the upper Mohawk River, assumes a timeless, mythical quality. Bierstadt was one of several second-generation Hudson School artists associated with "luminism," a technique using aerial perspective and moisture-saturated air to create an otherworldly glow.
Here, we see four cattle watering in a river so calm it reflects the surrounding forest. No signs of the humans who graze them are visible. At left a white steer stands apart, illuminated in a beam of sunlight. Its nearly mythical quality may reference Greek mythology and the metamorphosis of humans into animal form--whether Io transformed by an angry Hera or Zeus transorming himself to rape Europa.
Here, we see four cattle watering in a river so calm it reflects the surrounding forest. No signs of the humans who graze them are visible. At left a white steer stands apart, illuminated in a beam of sunlight. Its nearly mythical quality may reference Greek mythology and the metamorphosis of humans into animal form--whether Io transformed by an angry Hera or Zeus transorming himself to rape Europa.
Creator
Bierstadt, Albert, 1830-1902
Date
1864
Contributor
Cooper, Ken
Source
Portland Art Museum, Portland OR
Photograph by Daderot, via Wikimedia Commons
Photograph by Daderot, via Wikimedia Commons
Format
jpeg, 1.3 MB<br />
jpeg, 3.4 MB
Type
Still image
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Oil painting