Lake George

John William Casilear

1857 · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

In this painting of one of Casilear’s favorite sites—Lake George, in the Adirondack Mountains—the influence of John Frederick Kensett, one of the artist’s sketching companions, is unmistakable in the treatment of the water and the light. Casilear’s background as an engraver is reflected in the highly finished quality of the canvas and the attention to detail in the foliage and rock formations of the foreground. A sense of calm pervades the scene; there is not a single ripple on the lake. The vantage point is from the western shore, looking south toward Black Mountain.

Artist

John William Casilear

Date

1857

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Bequest of Maria DeWitt Jesup, from the collection of her husband, Morris K. Jesup, 1914