River [Delaware?] Bank Scene with Cliff (from Sketchbook)

Thomas Hewes Hinckley created this graphite landscape drawing, River [Delaware?] Bank Scene with Cliff, on paper, sometime in the 19th century. Hinckley was born in Milton, Massachusetts, and spent much of his career painting portraits of animals, especially prize-winning livestock. Though this scene depicts a quiet landscape, the absence of human figures is notable. During this period, landscape paintings were often used to reinforce ideas about national identity and the relationship between people and the land. Hinckley's decision to exclude people may reflect a conscious choice to focus on the natural world itself. The lack of detail and the hazy quality of the drawing create a dreamlike, almost melancholic atmosphere. What do you feel when you imagine yourself in this space? The drawing invites contemplation on our place within the environment.