The Return of Rip Van Winkle
1849
Imagine waking up from a 20-year nap to find your town completely changed—that's the chaotic scene John Quidor captures here. Based on Washington Irving's famous tale, a ragged Rip Van Winkle returns to his village only to find he's missed the entire American Revolution. Notice the portrait of General Washington on the building and the new American flag; poor Rip fell asleep a British subject and woke up an American citizen! Quidor, a New York fireman by trade, loved illustrating these literary classics with a touch of humor and grotesque charm, often painting them just for his own amusement rather than for sale.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Views: 6