River Scene

Though Duncanson produced this painting in Cincinnati, the landscape pictured was likely inspired by the artist’s travels to the Scottish Highlands in 1865, as well as his knowledge of European landscape painting. Over the course of his career Duncanson developed a uniquely imaginative, arcadian vision of landscapes influenced by his interest in history and Romantic literature. Crumbling ruins appear along the far bank of the river, while several Black figures appear in boats and on the shore. One of the first painters of African American descent to attain international recognition, he was one of the most successful Hudson River School painters.

Scholars have debated to what extent Duncanson’s race informed the artist’s approach to the landscape. Descending from a mixed-race family and identifying as a free person of color, Duncanson worked alongside his white peers in Cincinnati, seeking opportunities and reaching a level of fame that far surpassed most Black Americans at the time. While Duncanson undoubtedly confronted racial prejudice at certain points in his career, his paintings rarely directly addressed issues relating to race.

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Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Dr. James and Paula Huffman, Louisville, KY, 2009, by purchase; Steven L. Jones, 2012, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2012, by purchase.