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John Casilear Mountain Landscape
$20,000
£15,110.95
€17,312.58
CA$27,906.49
A$30,416.64
CHF 16,081.01
MX$366,158.68
NOK 204,108.12
SEK 187,125.43
DKK 129,325.80
About the Item
John Casilear (1811–1893)
"Mountain Lake"
Estate Stamp Verso
11.25 x 21 inches Sight Size
18.5 x 29.50 inches Overall Size
Oil on canvas
Painting was in the exhibition catalog: The Rockies and the Alps: Bierstadt, Calame, and the Romance of the Mountains, authored by Katherine Manthorne and Tricia Laughlin Bloom. Plate 53, page 134.
John Casilear, a central figure of the Hudson River School, is celebrated for his refined landscapes that balance natural grandeur with lyrical tranquility. Though best known for his depictions of the American Northeast, Casilear’s travels abroad informed a number of works that capture the majesty of European scenery. This painting of a Swiss lake exemplifies his ability to translate foreign vistas into compositions that resonate with the same poetic sensibility found in his American subjects.
The canvas presents a serene alpine lake, its still waters reflecting the surrounding mountains and hazy sky. Casilear’s brushwork is delicate, emphasizing atmosphere over dramatic incident. The cottages nestled in the greenery suggest human presence without disturbing the harmony of the natural setting. The ornate gilt frame further underscores the painting’s 19th‑century origins, complementing the artist’s meticulous attention to detail.
This work demonstrates Casilear’s mastery of light and tone. The muted palette—soft blues, greens, and earth tones—conveys a sense of calm and timelessness, while the composition’s balance between foreground foliage and distant peaks reflects the artist’s training as both painter and engraver. The painting invites contemplation, situating the viewer within a landscape that is both geographically specific and universally evocative.
John Casilear was an American painter and engraver, best known as a member of the Hudson River School, the mid‑19th‑century movement that celebrated the natural beauty of the American landscape. Born in New York City in 1811, Casilear trained initially as an engraver under Asher B. Durand, whose influence shaped both his technical precision and his sensitivity to atmospheric effects.
By the 1840s, Casilear transitioned from engraving to painting, joining Durand, Thomas Cole, and other Hudson River School artists in depicting the wilderness of the northeastern United States. His works are distinguished by their tranquil compositions, delicate handling of light, and lyrical tone, often favoring serene river valleys, lakes, and pastoral settings over dramatic or sublime vistas.
Casilear traveled abroad in 1840–41 with Durand, John Frederick Kensett, and Thomas Prichard Rossiter, visiting Italy and Switzerland. These journeys broadened his subject matter, leading to rare European landscapes such as views of Swiss lakes, which he rendered with the same quiet harmony as his American scenes.
He exhibited regularly at the National Academy of Design, where he was elected an associate in 1831 and a full academician in 1851. Casilear remained active in New York’s art circles throughout his career, admired for the refinement and contemplative quality of his landscapes. He died in 1893, leaving behind a body of work that embodies the Hudson River School’s gentler, more meditative strain.
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