American Art Short Cut, Watchung Station, New Jersey Made in United States, North and Central America1883 George Inness, American, 1825 - 1894 Oil on canvas * Gallery 111, American Art, first floor W1895-1-5 Purchased with the W. P. Wilstach Fund, 1895 |
LabelIn a bucolic landscape of northern New Jersey, Inness’s carefully manipulated vantage point places rural life and modern technology on a collision course. An elderly man leaning on a walking stick makes his way across a rickety bridge in the foreground, appearing to confront a train speeding in his direction in the background. The precarious position of the figure over a dark chasm conveys the artist’s sense of the vulnerability of historic tradition in the modern era, a concern that resonates with his admiration for the old masters.* Works in the collection are moved off view for many different reasons. Although gallery locations on the website are updated regularly, there is no guarantee that this object will be on display on the day of your visit. |
