The Lackawanna Valley
c. 1856
Commissioned by a railroad company in 1856, George Inness created a surprisingly peaceful scene of industrial expansion. A lone figure rests on a grassy hill in the foreground, seemingly ignoring the massive steam locomotive chugging through the valley below toward a bustling, smoke-belching roundhouse. It's a fascinating clash of nature and machinery, capturing the exact moment America's pastoral landscapes began giving way to the Industrial Revolution. Today, it hangs in the National Gallery of Art, serving as a beautiful, hazy reminder of a country in rapid transition.
Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Views: 7