Catskills, 1871 (from Sketchbook) 1870

Daniel Huntington made this pencil sketch of the Catskills in 1871, preserving it in a sketchbook now held at The Met. In the 19th century, the Catskills were a favorite destination, especially for artists. Figures like Huntington found inspiration in the unspoiled American landscape. But this view is not as untouched as it seems. In the years this sketch was made, the Catskills gained fame as a retreat from urban life. Tourism brought hotels, railroads and steamboats, transforming both the economy and the landscape. Huntington was associated with the Hudson River School, a group of landscape painters interested in the concept of wilderness. But this sketch also reminds us that their work was not made in a vacuum. Art historical research into tourism, transportation, and economic history, as well as ecological studies, help us understand how landscape painting also helped to shape public opinion and policy.