Twilight in the Wilderness

1860
(American, 1826–1900)
Framed: 124 x 185 x 13 cm (48 13/16 x 72 13/16 x 5 1/8 in.); Unframed: 101.6 x 162.6 cm (40 x 64 in.)
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

An image of this painting has a cameo in the Harrison Ford film Clear and Present Danger.

Description

In his New York studio, Church painted this spectacular view of a blazing sunset over wilderness near Mount Katahdin in Maine, which he had sketched during a visit nearly two years earlier. Although Church often extolled the grandeur of American landscape in his work, this painting appears to have additional overtones. Created on the eve of the Civil War, the painting's subject can be interpreted as symbolically evoking the coming conflagration. Church's considerable technical skills and clever showmanship contributed to his fame as the premier artist of his generation. Rather than debut this painting in an annual exhibition with works by other artists as was the custom, Church instead exhibited it by itself at a prestigious art gallery. Coaxed by advance publicity and highly favorable press reviews, several hundred spectators flocked to admire it during its seven-week run.
Twilight in the Wilderness

Twilight in the Wilderness

1860

Frederic Edwin Church

(American, 1826–1900)
America

Videos

How Does Church Depict Nature?

The Dramatic Sunset

Why Did Church Hold his Own Exhibitions?

Preserving America's Natural Beauty, Then and Now

Visually Similar by AI

    CMA Store

    Painted Landscapes: Contemporary Views
    "This book explores American landscape painting today, its relevance in the contemporary art world, and its historic roots. This volume profiles sixty individual living artists whose contributions distinguish important aspects of the genre and address land use, nature appreciation, and ecology through landscape painting. Encompassing every style from traditional realism (with a contemporary edge) to abstraction and non-objectivity, these contemporary artists range from today’s art stars to emerging or regionally recognized talent in the eastern, western, and southwestern regions of the nation. An additional chapter addresses urban landscapes nationally. The range of styles and reputations presented creates an encompassing survey of the trends and enduring elements in this genre of painting and the art market today. 272 pp | 206 color photos
    Painted Landscapes: Contemporary Views

    Contact us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

    To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

    All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.