dual personalities

Today we toast George Inness who was an influential American landscape painter, born on May 1, 1825, in Newburgh, New York, and known for his role in the Tonalist movement.

His works often combined elements of realism and impressionism, focusing on the spiritual and emotional aspects of nature.

We have one of his works in the Saint Louis Art Museum…

In the Roman Campagna, oil on canvas, 1873

…and there was one in my college art museum…

Home at Montclair, 1892, oil on canvas, Clark Art Institute

There are several good ones at Yale…

Moonrise, oil on canvas, 1887

I always liked him.

Two Sisters in the Garden, oil on millboard, 1882, Art Institute of Chicago

Inness died in 1894 at Bridge of Allan in Scotland. According to his son, he was viewing the sunset, when he threw up his hands into the air and exclaimed, “My God! oh, how beautiful!”, fell to the ground, and died minutes later. That’s a good way to go–for an artist or anyone, don’t you think?

In other museum news, if you are going to be in Fort Worth on May 22…

The 95th anniversary! Wowee!

Happy May 1st!