Hudson River School of Painting on Exhibit -- by the Half Moon Press

August, 1999 issue

Hudson River School of Painting on Exhibit An exhibition of one of the largest and most important collections of the Hudson River School paintings, Art and Nature: The Hudson River School, will make its first northeast stop this year at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers.

This exhibition of the world-renowned collection of 19th Century landscape paintings from the Albany Institute of History and Art will open Friday, October 15 and coincide with the grand reopening of the newly restored Glenview Mansion. It will feature 26 paintings from the major Hudson River School artists, the group that received their name from critics and historians because of their passion for painting landscape scenes, especially along the Hudson River.

The Albany Institute, founded in 1791, has been collecting Hudson River School paintings for almost 100 years. This is the first time the collection will be displayed outside of Albany. "We are very pleased that the Albany Institute has chosen to exhibit paintings of such historic significance at the Hudson River Museum," said Philip Verre, Museum director. "This is an important part of the region's cultural legacy, and we are looking forward to displaying these prominent works."

The Hudson River School paintings date back to the 1820s, when many Americans associated nature with God. By the end of the 19th Century interest in the Hudson River School declined. The paintings were viewed as not "worldly" enough. However, during the 1960s and 1970s the Hudson River School began a resurgence, and today the paintings enjoy international acclaim for their transcendental beauty. The Hudson River School paintings will be on display at Glenview Mansion through Sunday, December 19. They will return to Albany, after an extensive tour, in February 2001.