In 1895 Remington's friend, the Philadelphia writer Owen Wister, published an article in Harper's Monthly titled, "The Evolution of the Cow-Puncher."" A number of illustrations, including this painting, accompanied the article. Remington had advised Wister to write about the cowboy's passing, for the open ranges where "he literally fought his right of way" were no more. "Don't mistake the nice young men who amble around wire fences for the wild rider of the Plains," he warned. The passing of the open-range cowboy is mourned in this painting, which is infused with the slow rhythms and somber tones of an elegy. The mythic image of the cowboy was to be further immortalized seven years later with the publication of Wister's influential novel The Virginian.

The Fall of the Cowboy by Frederic Remington, 1895, AmonCarter Museum of American Art (Fort Worth, TX)

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The diffuse light defines the atmospheric presence of this scene. Figures, suggested by smudged forms, gather near the vessel's deck and amidst the rigging. Broad, swiftly applied strokes of pale blue and white create a hazy sky. These energetic marks, layered loosely, convey the immediacy of fleeting moment. Their every facture evokes dynamism of industrial progress, a world transformed by steam and steel. The stark vertical of the smokestack pierces the composition, a monument to mechanical power. Oblique lines of rigging fragment the upper register, hinting at a complex network of human endeavor, The deck itself, rendered in earthy tones and broken planes, anchors the vessel to a solid, yet restless, reality. This visual vocabulary speaks to an era wrestling with the implications of modernity. The fragmented forms and shifting planes chart a new way of seeing the industrialized world. The steam billowing across the right side dissolves solid boundaries, suggesting impermanence. Its ethereal quality softens the otherwise robust machinery.

Aboard a Steamer by John Henry Twachtman, 1891, Private Collection

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American artist Charles Courtney Curran spent summers at the Cragsmoor art colony near Ellenville, New York, where he developed some of his most recognizable images of women placed in sunlit, idealized landscapes. He was already strongly associated with this mountaintop community, and its clear air, dramatic views, and cultivated leisure shaped the mood of paintings like this one. In this 1909 work, a group of women are not shown laboring or narrating a specific story. Instead, they are emblems of calm companionship, modern femininity, and seasonal freedom. Three young women sit side by side on a rocky ledge, shown in left profile against a vast, luminous sky. Their light skin is warmed by sun and flushed softly at the cheeks. Each wears a flowing white summer dress with short puffed sleeves, the fabric catching blue, cream, and peach reflections from the open air. Their hair is pinned up in loose early-20th-century styles. The nearest woman’s dark brown hair is fuller and more shadowed, while the two beyond her have lighter brown and golden tones. Their bodies lean slightly forward in a shared, attentive stillness, hands resting in their laps on the folds of their skirts. Low green plants edge the stone at the bottom of the canvas, but most of the composition is a brilliant blue sky veiled with sweeping white clouds so the women seem suspended between earth and atmosphere. The trio’s placement above the horizon gives them an almost monumental presence, yet the painting remains tender rather than grandiose. Curran’s impressionist-inflected brushwork and radiant sky turn an ordinary pause outdoors into a vision of aspiration with the women literally and symbolically “on the heights,” poised between intimacy and idealization plus earth and atmosphere. The result is both accessible and slightly dreamlike privilege for a celebration of light, youth, and shared presence in nature.

“On the Heights” by Charles Courtney Curran (American) - Oil on canvas / 1909 - Brooklyn Museum (New York) #WomenInArt #CharlesCourtneyCurran #Curran #CharlesCurran #BrooklynMuseum #AmericanImpressionism #art #artText #arte #artwork #BlueskyArt #AmericanArt #AmericanArtist #PortraitofWomen #1900sArt

Oyster Sloop, Cos Cob by Childe Hassam, 1902, National Gallery of Art (Washington DC)

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John Leslie Breck’s Grey Day on the Charles: Modern Light Without Rupture There are paintings that stop you in your tracks. This is not one of them. John Leslie Breck ’s   Grey Day on the Charles   will not command...

Not every cultural shift is loud.
In 1894, John Leslie Breck’s Grey Day on the Charles showed how American artists adopted Impressionist light without abandoning structure. Modernization, held steady.

Why that balance still matters: tinyurl.com/jc7zssmm

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Three men stand around a saddled horse, seemingly engaged in conversation, likely discussing the potential purchase of the horse. The setting appears to be a rural, possibly western, environment characterized by the sandy ground and rustic buildings in the background, with additional horses visible in the distance. The warm, vibrant colors and the use of light and shadow are indicative of the Impressionist style, adding a sense of realism and immediacy to the scene. The men’s attire and the overall composition reflect the authenticity and essence of life in the American West during that era.

Buying Polo Ponies in the West by Frederic Remington, 1905, Private Collection

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Cliff Rock- Appledore by Childe Hassam,1903, Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields (Indiana)

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Painted in 1910, this little-known oil painting aligns with American artist William Glackens’s Impressionist-leaning portrait manner with modern color, lively surface, and atmosphere prioritized over academic finish for an approach often discussed in relation to the brighter, Renoir-adjacent side of his practice within the Ashcan generation. It’s a waist-up portrait of a young woman posed frontally, her gaze steady and direct, set against a softly mottled field of teal, gray, lavender, and mossy green. Her skin is ghostly white with cool bluish shadows along the jaw and neck plus warm pink blooms across her cheeks, as if lit from within. Dark, carefully shaped brows anchor her expression. Her eyes are deep brown-black, outlined with a crisp, graphic emphasis that heightens her intensity. A rounded, very dark crimson hat frames her hair, with a small red feathery accent near the left side. Her clothing is simplified into bold color relationships like a deep green-black collar and a richly patterned orange-red shawl that arcs across her shoulders and forearms. One pale hand reaches diagonally toward the lower left, resting on the other arm which folds inward, creating a contained, self-possessed posture. Brushstrokes remain visible throughout, especially in the background, so edges soften and the woman seems to emerge from vibrating color rather than a defined room. The sitter is not identified and the title “Russian Girl” is best read cautiously as it may point to styling (hat, shawl, and an early-20th-century taste for “Russian” culture) more than it confirms nationality or biography. The portrait’s power comes from the balance it holds between the woman’s calm, guarded composure and a backdrop that refuses stillness via shifting hues and brushed veils of paint. As part of the permanent collection of Florida International University’s Frost Art Museum, the portrait is both an encounter with a person and a performance of modernity through color, mood, and title.

“Russian Girl” by William Glackens (American) - Oil on linen / 1910 - Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, FIU (Miami, Florida) #WomenInArt #FrostArtMuseum #FIU #WilliamGlackens #Glackens #PortraitPainting #WomanInArt #AmericanArt #artText #art #arte #Ashcan #AmericanArtist #AmericanImpressionism

Redbud Tree in Bloom at Leon Springs, San Antonio by Robert Julian Onderdonk, 1921, Private Collection

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Remington purchased an island home on the St. Lawrence and namedit Ingleneuk. Boat House at Ingleneukis one of two island sketches Remington hungat New Rochelle.

Boat House at Ingleneuk by Frederic Remington, 1903, Frederic Remington Art Museum (Ogdensburg, New York, United States)

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A genius of paint handling, Tonalist landscape artist Twachtman spent his career experimenting with new and often radical ways of manipulating the surfaces of his canvases to express a subjective reverence for the land and its seasons. Twachtman’s early slashing and tenebrous palette were derived from training in Munich and inspiration from fellow Cincinnati expatriate Frank Duveneck, but would give way to a more nuanced, feathery brushwork by the mid 1880s, when he painted some of his early masterworks influenced by James Abbott McNeill Whistler’s ethereal aesthetics. These French and Dutch landscapes were unparalleled in American art for their refinement and elegance of design, no less their rarefied handling of tone and hypnotic intensity. Twachtman’s elegiac winter landscapes, in particular, spoke to the mystical, transcendentalist spirituality of nature. He died young and was greatly mourned by the professional art world.

Summer by John Henry Twachtman, c. 1890, The Phillips Collection (Washington DC, United States)

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Wiggins came from a family of painters. His father, Carleton Wiggins, had studied with George Inness and painted in a Barbizon-influenced style. The family had been early and regular visitors to the colony at Old Lyme, and by 1915, Guy had settled permanently in Old Lyme. The artist became active in the Old Lyme Art Association, exhibiting there regularly. This view of Gloucester harbor Massachusetts was painted one year after the family settled in Connecticut. Painted in a monochromatic palette, the work captures the energy of the bustling harbor with its thick impasto and visible brushstrokes enlivening the composition.

Gloucester at Twilight by Guy Carleton Wiggins, 1916, Reading Public Museum (Reading, PA)

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The name of Newfields was given to this area in 1895. From the time it was settled in 1638 along either side of an ancient Squamscott Indian trail, Newfields was important to Seacoast New Hampshire commerce due to its location at the mouth of the Squamscott River where it empties into the large tidal estuary known as Great Bay. Newfields with its country charm and attractive natural landscape became a popular "bedroom community" at the beginning of the 21st century.

Landscape at Newfields, New Hampshire by Childe Hassam, 1909, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Texas)

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A male Native American figure sits tall atop his horse. He wears a white cloth tied round his waist and a red long-sleeved shirt. He has a white kerchief tied around his neck and a single feather adorns his hair. His horse is gray with a black mane. His horse has a traditional western saddle and a riffle. They stand on a dirt road coming just over a hill. The entire background is filled with orange and pink light, from either a rising or setting sun.

Modern Comanche by Frederic Remington, 1890, Bill and Irma Runyon Art Collection, Forsyth Galleries, Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)

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"Blue Morning" is the last of four paintings that Bellows executed from 1907 to 1909 depicting the construction site of the Pennsylvania Station railroad terminal in New York City. Undertaken by the Pennsylvania Railroad and designed by architectural firm McKim, Mead, & White, Pennsylvania Station (more commonly known as Penn Station) was an enormously ambitious project that helped transform New York into a thriving, modern, commuter metropolis. The building project was of considerable interest to the public, and throughout the years that Bellows worked on these paintings, newspapers and magazines regularly reported on the station's progress. The three other paintings in the Penn Station series all focus on the gaping excavation pit and the two that were publicly exhibited at the time, "Pennsylvania Excavation" and "Excavation at Night", were criticized for their "brutal crudity" and "grim ugliness." Bellows seems to have addressed these criticisms in"Blue Morning" because it is a far more aesthetic and impressionistic rendering of the subject. The unusual backlit composition minimizes the pit and instead focuses on the laborers working in the foreground. McKim, Mead, & White's partially completed terminal building is visible in the distance.

Blue Morning by George Bellows, 1909, National Gallery of Art (Washington DC)

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Wind of Wyoming by Maynard Dixon, 1936, Maynard Dixon and Native American Art Museum (Tucson, AZ)

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The artwork depicts a serene bay scene, characterized by a calm body of water extending towards the horizon, where land is faintly visible. In the foreground, a wooden pier protrudes into the water, supported by weathered stilts. A small boat is moored at the pier, adding to the tranquil ambiance. The water captures gentle reflections of the pier and sky, rendered with nuanced brushwork that embodies the Impressionist style. The overall palette consists of muted blues and greens, evoking a sense of peacefulness and natural beauty.

Gravesend Bay (aka The Lower Bay) by William Merritt Chase, 1889, Private Collection

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This painting depicts a bustling New York City street scene on a rainy day. A group of elegantly dressed figures, primarily women holding parasols, walk along Fifth Avenue, their reflections shimmering on the wet pavement. The scene is characterized by a hazy, atmospheric perspective created through loose brushstrokes and a muted color palette of grays, blues, and browns. The focus is on capturing the fleeting impression of the city and the effects of light and weather rather than precise detail. The painting evokes a sense of urban life, modernity, and the beauty found in everyday moments. Hassam's "Rainy Day, New York" is a key example of American Impressionism, a movement that emerged in the late 19th century, influenced by French Impressionism but with a distinctly American character. It represents a shift away from the academic realism prevalent earlier in the century towards a focus on capturing subjective impressions of light and atmosphere. It bridges the gap between the earlier Hudson River School and the more modern art movements of the 20th century.

A Rainy Day, New York by Childe Hassam, 1889, Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, DC)

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This landscape painting depicts the rugged bluffs and lush vegetation along a stretch of the Guadalupe River in Texas. Onderdonk captures the dramatic play of light and shadow on the cliffs, highlighting the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country. The painting showcases a sense of vastness and tranquility, typical of the artist's style. It features a warm color palette dominated by browns, greens, and blues, creating a realistic and inviting scene.

Bluffs on the Guadalupe River, 17 Miles above Kerrville, Texas by Robert Julian Onderdonk, 1921, El Paso Museum of Art (El Paso, TX)

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A Hotel Room. American painter John Singer Sargent. 1906-1907. Private Collection. American impressionist painting of a hotel room, open suitcase on the floor. To the right, a table draped in a tablecloth. A window and curtains in the background. Wonderful use of light and brushstrokes to show the sun streaming through the shuttered window.

Sunday Sargent.
John Singer Sargent.
A Hotel Room. 1906-1907.
Private Collection.

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Italo-American Celebration, Washington Square by William James Glackens, c. 1912, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Boston, MA)

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For more on this painting, see: collections.mfa.org/objects/3364...

Bridge over the Stour by Childe Hassam, 1897, Philbrook Museum of Art (Tulsa, OK)

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Hassam depicts a quintessential Boston scene - a narrow, cobblestone street lined with 19th-century brick row houses. The painting captures a quiet, atmospheric moment, with sunlight dappling the street and casting long shadows. Two women in fashionable attire are walking along the street, adding a sense of scale and life to the scene. The composition emphasizes the picturesque quality of the street, highlighting its historic architecture and charming details. The painting is characterized by its loose brushwork and impressionistic style, focusing on capturing the effects of light and atmosphere rather than precise detail.

Acorn Street, Boston by Childe Hassam, 1886, Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, DC)

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An Artist in His Studio by John Singer Sargent, 1904, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Boston, MA)

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For more on this work, see collections.mfa.org/objects/3126...

Autumn Festival. Willard Metcalf. 1915. National Gallery of Art. Washington, D.C. Metcalf was an American impressionist artist known for his landscapes. This scene shows a fall landscape of green, orange and yellow trees, a man in a boat and a reflection of the trees in the lake.

Monday Metcalf.
Willard Metcalf.
Autumn Festival. 1915.
National Gallery of Art.
Washington, D.C.

Best wishes to National Gallery employees and to all federal workers currently on furlough. 👊

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#Americanimpressionism
#impressionism #fall
#autumn

This painting depicts a dramatic Texas landscape under a stormy sky. Onderdonk masterfully captures the atmospheric effects of an approaching rainstorm, with dark, brooding clouds dominating the upper portion of the canvas. The land below is rendered in earthy tones, suggesting the arid terrain of Southwest Texas. The painting evokes a sense of anticipation and the raw power of nature. It's a prime example of Onderdonk's ability to convey the unique light and mood of the Texas landscape. Onderdonk is considered the "Father of Texas Painting." His work falls within the broader context of American Impressionism and Tonalism, though developed a distinctly Texan style. He was a key figure in establishing a regional artistic identity for Texas, moving away from European influences and focusing on the unique qualities of the state's landscape. The painting was created during the period when artists were increasingly interested in capturing the effects of light and atmosphere, and in portraying the beauty of the American wilderness.

Approaching Rain, Southwest Texas by
Robert Julian Onderdonk, 1918, Witten Museum (San Antonio, TX)

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Despite academic training at the Académie Julian in Paris, Hassam gravitated to more avant-garde styles. He returned to America as a full-fledged "impressionist" and proceeded to receive acclaim for his city street scenes and American flag series. Hassam exhibited in the prestigious Armory Show of 1913, but eventually became a member of The Ten, a group artists who refused to exhibit in juried exhibitions. Hassam visited Charleston in 1925 and executed small group of etchings of popular sites including St. Philip's church. Based on the 19th-century style dress of the subject and the painting's original title, "April 1859," recent scholars believe that Hassam intended this painting as a portrayal of his mother, Rosa Hathorne Hassam, during her pregnancy. In April, Rosa would have been in her third month of pregnancy with her artist son born on October 17, 1859.

April (The Green Gown) by Childe Hassam, 1920, Gibbes Museum of Art (Charleston, SC)

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Sargent was the preeminent portraitist of the Gilded Age. With his brilliant bravura brushwork, flair for rich colors, and dramatic juxtaposition of light and dark tones, he made striking images of the American and European elite. Born to American parents in Italy, Sargent spent most of his life in Europe, where he traveled extensively, studying the work of the Old Masters. He greatly admired Diego Velázquez’s realism and Frans Hals’s painterly brush strokes, both of which he would incorporate into his own work. Sargent painted this portrait of Lady Helen Vincent in Venice. A glimpse of the Grand Canal is visible through the balustrade in the lower-left corner. He elongates Lady Helen’s limbs, underscoring her gracefulness, while the black dress emphasizes her milk-white skin, a sign of her nobility. Her direct but pensive gaze suggests her intellect: she was a member of The Souls, a salon of prominent intellectuals that included Henry James and Edith Wharton.

Lady Helen Vincent, Viscountess d'Abernon by John Singer Sargent, 1904, Birmingham Museum of Art (Birmingham, AL)

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"A Sunlit Hillside" offers striking evidence of the transformation of Vonnoh's brushwork and palette which occurred around 1888. Composed of a textured jumble of colorful hatch marks, the sweeping hillside establishes the diagonal which anchors the work and is reiterated by the lines of the roofs and the tumbledown fence. The impastoed surface of acid greens, pinks, yellows, and purples finds its balance in the reduced, flat geometry of the buildings nestled into the slope at right. An absence of doors and windows stresses the abstract elements of this blocky configuration. Such qualities have prompted comparison of "A Sunlit Hillside" to the work of Paul Cézanne. The painting's lumpy facture and a remark of Eliot Clark recorded in Academy records identifying its location as Giverny have naturally led to discussion of Vonnoh's relationship to Claude Monet, as well. While aspects of the painting resemble known depictions of Giverny, May Brawley Hil has identified the buildings as the Moulin du Roi at Grez-sur-Loing.

A Sunlit Hillside by Robert Vonnoh,1890, National Academy of Design (New York City, NY)

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