Deep Valley in Mountainous Landscape 

William Hart created this ink wash drawing, "Deep Valley in Mountainous Landscape," during a time when the United States was rapidly expanding, and landscape painting served as a way to capture and promote the idea of the American frontier. Hart, like many of his contemporaries in the Hudson River School, often depicted nature as sublime and untouched. Yet, if you look closer, there is a figure making their way through the landscape. How do we reconcile this traditional, romantic view of the land with the presence of a person? Is this the representation of an idealized and heroic individual, or does it suggest a more nuanced relationship between humanity and nature? Landscape art can also function as a reflection of cultural values and societal attitudes toward land, ownership, and the environment. Consider how this image might echo or challenge prevailing ideas about progress, manifest destiny, and the impact of human activity on the natural world. Think about how this deeply personal view of a landscape invites us to consider our own place within it.