Maidstone, Vermont 1829 - 1883

Albert Fitch Bellows created this drawing of Maidstone, Vermont with graphite on paper. This landscape, made during the second half of the 19th century, invites us to reflect on the American experience of place and identity during a period of significant transformation. Bellows' choice of subject matter, a serene rural landscape, positions him within the artistic and cultural milieu of his time. The mid-1800s were marked by industrialization, urbanization, and westward expansion. Artists turned towards nature as a source of solace and national identity. But this choice was also complicated. The celebration of the American landscape often obscured the displacement and marginalization of Indigenous peoples, whose connection to the land was deeply rooted and violently disrupted. Here, the detailed rendering of the landscape carries a sense of nostalgia for an idealized rural past, inviting reflection on how national narratives are constructed. As we engage with this drawing, consider whose stories are being told and whose are being left out.