The Storm 1876

George Inness painted this landscape, known as "The Storm", with oil on canvas sometime in the later part of the 19th century. It's an evocative scene depicting a shepherd and his flock under a looming sky. Inness was a leading figure in the American landscape painting tradition. This tradition was deeply intertwined with the cultural and political concerns of a rapidly industrializing United States. Landscape painting was often seen as a way to evoke a sense of national identity and connection to the land. But also to critique the disruption of the natural world caused by urban expansion. Inness, however, departed from the detailed realism of earlier artists, embracing a more atmospheric and subjective approach influenced by the Barbizon School and, later, by spiritualism. To fully understand Inness's vision, scholars consult period writings on art and nature, religious texts that shaped his spiritual beliefs, and studies of the art market and its influence on artistic choices. By situating his work in its complex cultural and intellectual context, we gain insight into how Inness used art to reflect on a changing world.