Looking at Sanford Robinson Gifford’s numerous depictions of the Catskills, one has to ask the question “what was going through Gifford’s mind as he created such works of art?” Gifford took frequent trips to the Catskills and each painting Gifford did of them are so similar but yet so unique and individualized. There are multiple components of Gifford’s paintings that will raise questions like “How is each painting different from the other? How are the elements and principles used differently in each of his depictions? Are there any notable assumptions about Gifford’s thought process throughout his explorations that can be hypothesized?
This exhibition will tackle questions like these using specific examples of Gifford’s work. In addition to this, this exhibition will also offer an understanding of Gifford’s use of implied and actual lines to create emphasis on specific aspects of his paintings, usually the sun/sky. In other words, this exhibition will show how Sanford Robinson Gifford uses movement in lines to guide us as the viewers, towards the brightest parts of the paintings. Lines and movement are present in each painting and work together to guide its viewers all around the painting right towards the final focal point of the work of art. Gifford’s paintings were also shaped by a movement called Luminism that he was part of in which light played a very prominent role in artwork.
Twilight Park is a little different from the others in that it is one of three of the chosen paintings for this exhibition where the sun is not actively shining, blocking out anything closest to it. However, it still has a way to pull our attention to the sunshine that is present. The movement and motion of the painting doesn't work in a perfect circle but it still has a way of guiding our eyes to that middle-right area between where the two mountains meet. The green rough mountain in the foreground on the right side points to the trees and rocky area right on the other side. The tree on the far left guides us upward and from there, we follow the path of the mountain on the left all the way to that section right where the first mountain meets the second one.
Sanford Robinson Gifford, A Sketch in Kauterskill Clove, 1861, Oil on canvas, 13.25 in. by 11.25 in. (33.7 by 28.6 cm), Collection Family of the Artist, from HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL VISIONS: The Landscapes of Sanford R. Gifford
This depiction of the catskills is unique because out of all the other paintings in this exhibition, this one has the most unifying color palette. The way this painting works to guide our attention towards the sun is that first, we may be caught looking at the foreground due to the contrast in value. However, our attention will soon shift upwards due to the trees somehow nearly perfectly angled towards the sun. The sun washes out the part of the mountains closest to it which will cause it to stand out more. This is also the only painting in the selection where Gifford seems to emphasize the sunrays (which could also carry our eyes upward, to the middle of the sun. There are also the implied lines of the figures facing and looking up towards the sun.
Sanford Robinson Gifford, A Mist Rising at Sunset in the Catskills, 1861, Oil on canvas, 6.75 in. by 9.5 in. (17.1 by 24.1 cm), The Art Institute of Chicago. Gift of Jamee J. and Marshall Field (1988.217), from HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL VISIONS: The Landscapes of Sanford R. Gifford
This painting is unique in that the sky is done very differently from all of the other skies in this exhibition. This sky doesn't have that softness that is created by the sunlight shining directly in the eyes of the viewers. Instead, this sky has very defined clouds and the brightest part of the painting is nearly hidden behind the mountains and trees on the left side of the painting. The way this painting works to guide our attention to that tiny bit of sunlight is how there is very little contrast and brightness in every other part of the painting. As a whole, this painting is dark, probably because it was painted when the sun was mostly down. That brightness of the sun peaking through the cloud pulls our attention because it stands out from the rest of the painting because of how bright it is. It contrasts with the rest of the painting.
Sanford Robinson Gifford, In the Catskills (A Catskill Study), 1861, Oil on canvas, 14.25 in. by 24 in. (36.2 by 61 cm), The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, “Thirty-Eighth Annual Exhibition,” 1861, no. 528; United States Christian Commission, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, “Exhibition of a Private Collection,” 1865, no. 184; Philadelphia Union League Club, “Third Art Reception,” October 28-31, 1873, no. 127, as “Autumn in the Catskills.” From HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL VISIONS: The Landscapes of Sanford R. Gifford
In this painting, the sun plays such a prominent role, probably more than any other painting in this exhibit. The sun nearly takes up one half of the painting. This painting acts similarly to some of the previous ones in that there are trees that guide our attention upward to the sun. However, because the sun is so bright and takes up so much space, this causes the other parts of the painting to be darker by comparison (more than the other paintings) which creates a spotlight-like effect on the sun.
Sanford Robinson Gifford, A Gorge in the Mountains (Kauterskill Clove), 1862, Oil on canvas, 48 in. by 39.875 in. (121.9 x 101.3 cm), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Bequest of Maria DeWitt Jesup, from the collection of her husband, Morris K. Jesup, 1914 (15.30.62), from HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL VISIONS: The Landscapes of Sanford R. Gifford
This painting has such a golden, yellow effect which is similar to "A Sketch in Kauterskill Clove" but it's even more yellow and golden. In this painting, movement towards the sun acts in a circle/spiral. We start on the bottom right side of the painting, then we move to the rock on the left, up the tree, and right towards the sun. Looking at the picture from far away, you can even see the circular shape created by objects in the painting and it's an almost perfect circle.
Sanford Robinson Gifford, Kauterskill Clove, in the Catskills, 1862, Oil on canvas, 9.5625 in. by 8.5 in. (24.3.x 21.6 cm), Peter and Juliana Terian Collection of American Art, from HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL VISIONS: The Landscapes of Sanford R. Gifford
This painting can be seen as part one of two. This one functions very similarly to a Gorge in the Mountains except it's a little more dull and dark and not so golden and yellow. There is still that circular/spiral aspect where we start on the bottom right, move to the left, and work our way up the tree towards the sun. There's also the addition of two figures standing on the cliff looking up at the sun which creates an emphasis on the sun (similar to "A Sketch in Kauterskill Clove").
Sanford Robinson Gifford, Kauterskill Clove, in the Catskills, 1862, Oil on canvas, 12.875 in. by 11.0625 in. (32.7 x 28.1 cm), Collection Jo Ann and Julian Ganz, Jr., from HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL VISIONS: The Landscapes of Sanford R. Gifford
This painting which is very similar to part one is much brighter and because of that, we can see more details. Like part one and A Gorge in the Mountains, this painting also follows the circular/spiral system in the exact same way as the other two. There are different figures in this painting however, they still point us towards the sun with the way they are positioned. It's possible that Gifford either used a different color palette for this painting than for part one, or he painted this one at a different time of day from part one.
Sanford Robinson Gifford, The Catskill Mountain House, 1862, Oil on canvas, 9.3125 in. by 18.5 in. (23.7 x 47 cm), Private collection, from HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL VISIONS: The Landscapes of Sanford R. Gifford
This painting is actually different from the other ones. Here the main emphasis doesn't actually seem to be the sky but rather the left side of the painting where there is the most texture. The figure in this painting also doesn't seem to be looking at the sky like all of the other paintings that are in this exhibition. However, the painting still has a way of pointing us back to the sky, specifically where the sun shines on the right side of the painting. Our eyes may be fixed on the bottom left side of the painting for a moment but eventually we will move up the tree, follow the mountain line as it moves right and land right on the point of the hill on the right side which is where the sun shines brightest.
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