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Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL STYLE

Considered the first major American painting movement, the Hudson River School emerged in the first half of the 19th century with landscape paintings that celebrated the young country’s natural beauty. Most of its leading painters were based in New York City where they exchanged ideas and traveled to the nearby Hudson River Valley and Catskills Mountains to re-create their vistas. At a time when the city was increasingly dense, the Hudson River School artists extolled the vast and pristine qualities of the American landscape, a sentiment that would inform the conservation movement.

American art was dominated by portraiture and historical scenes before Thomas Cole, the founder of the Hudson River School, began painting the Catskill Mountains in 1825. While the Hudson River School was informed by European art aesthetics, particularly the British focus on the sublime in nature, it was a style imbued with nationalism. The landscape painters who followed and studied under Cole would expand their focus from the Northeastern United States to places across the country, their work shared through prints and portfolios promoting an appreciation for the American wilderness — Niagara Falls, the mountain ranges that dot the American West and more — as the style blossomed during the mid-19th century.

Cole’s student Frederic Edwin Church as well as painters such as Albert Bierstadt, John Frederick Kensett, Asher Brown Durand and others became prominent proponents of the Hudson River School. The American art movement also had close ties to the literary world, including to authors like William Cullen Bryant, Henry David Thoreau and James Fenimore Cooper who wrote on similar themes. Although by the early 1900s the style had waned, and modernism would soon guide the following decades of art in the United States, the Hudson River School received renewed interest in the late 20th century for the dramatic way its artists portrayed the world.

Find a collection of authentic Hudson River School paintings, drawings and watercolors and more art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Hudson River School
"Sunset, Indian Summer" DeWitt Clinton Boutelle, Hudson River School Landscape
Located in New York, NY
DeWitt Clinton Boutelle Sunset, Indian Summer, 1848-49 Signed and dated lower left Oil on canvas 12 x 16 inches DeWitt Clinton Boutelle was born in Troy, New York. He moved to Phil...
Category

1840s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Mt. Rosalie, Colorado" Albert Bierstadt, Western American Mountain Landscape
Located in New York, NY
Albert Bierstadt Mt. Rosalie, Colorado, circa 1863 Signed lower left: ABierstadt; inscribed on verso: Mt. Rosalie / Colorado Oil on paper 13 1/4 x 9 1/2 inches Provenance Private Co...
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1860s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil

Hudson River School Style - The Homestead and Grist Mill 1942
By A. Mathieu
Located in Soquel, CA
Hudson River School Style - The Homestead and Grist Mill 1942 In the Hudson River School style by A (K) Mathieu (American, 19th-20th C). Harvest time at the Homestead with a hay wago...
Category

1940s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Illustration Board, Stretcher Bars

Evocation (Hudson River School Landscape Oil Painting of Sunset, Framed)
Located in Hudson, NY
Hudson River School inspired landscape painting of sunset with orange glow “Evocation” painted by Jane Bloodgood-Abrams in 2014 oil on canvas 48 x 60 inches / 49.25 x 61.5 inches wi...
Category

2010s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Moonrise in the Mountains (Hudson River School Style Nighttime Landscape)
Located in Hudson, NY
Luminist, Hudson River School inspired landscape of Catskill mountains with moonlit blue sky "Moonrise in the Mountains", painted by Hudson Valley artist, Jane Bloodgood-Abrams in 20...
Category

2010s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mt Shasta Spring Stroll on the River Beneath the Mountain Original Oil on Linen
Located in Soquel, CA
Mt Shasta Spring Stroll on the River Beneath the Mountain Original Oil on Linen A solitary hiker on a trail with Northern California's Mt. Shasta in the distance by Joseph John Engl...
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Late 19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

"Mt. Rosalie, Colorado" Albert Bierstadt, Western American Mountain Landscape
Located in New York, NY
Albert Bierstadt Mt. Rosalie, Colorado, circa 1863 Signed lower left: ABierstadt; inscribed on verso: Mt. Rosalie / Colorado Oil on paper 13 1/4 x 9 1/2 inches Provenance Private Co...
Category

1860s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil

Hudson River School Style Painting, Signed Brundell
Located in New York, NY
G. Brundell Untitled, c. Early 20th Century Oil on canvas Sight: 10 x 18 in. Framed: 19 7/8 x 27 7/8 x 2 in. Signed lower left
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Early 20th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

1903 Walpi Hopi Village, Arizona First Mesa Landscape circle of Elmer Wachtel
Located in Soquel, CA
Walpi Hopi Village, Arizona First Mesa Landscape by Marion Kavanaugh Wachtel. Significant southwestern painting of Hopi at Walpi Mesa in Arizona...
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Early 1900s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

"Clay Bluffs on No Man’s Land" Sanford Gifford, 19th Century Luminist Landscape
Located in New York, NY
Sanford Robinson Gifford A Sketch of Clay Bluffs on No Man’s Land, South of Martha's Vineyard, 1877 Stamp on verso of canvas: S. R. Gifford [estate] Sale Typed label on upper stretch...
Category

1870s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Sunset, Indian Summer" DeWitt Clinton Boutelle, Hudson River School Landscape
Located in New York, NY
DeWitt Clinton Boutelle Sunset, Indian Summer, 1848-49 Signed and dated lower left Oil on canvas 12 x 16 inches DeWitt Clinton Boutelle was born in Troy, New York. He moved to Phil...
Category

1840s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Hudson River School Style - The Homestead and Grist Mill 1942
By A. Mathieu
Located in Soquel, CA
Hudson River School Style - The Homestead and Grist Mill 1942 In the Hudson River School style by A (K) Mathieu (American, 19th-20th C). Harvest time at the Homestead with a hay wago...
Category

1940s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Illustration Board, Stretcher Bars

Late 19th Century Tonalist Landscape -- Afternoon by the Pond
Located in Soquel, CA
Gorgeous tonalist oil painting woman walking in field by pond with home in background by Willis Seaver Adams (American, 1844-1921), circa 1880. Trees and an amazing sky in the background add depth and interest to this beautiful piece. Signed "W. S. Adams" lower right corner. Condition: Previous restoration includes relining of canvas. Frame is vintage gilt molded and wood frame and shows previous repair of molding losses. Image size: 20"H x 24"W. Auctions records for the artist exceed $6,000. Willis Seaver Adams was known for his landscapes of the Connecticut River Valley. A relative recluse for much of his artistic life, his loneliness can be seen in much of his works. Oil miniatures were the focus for almost all of his later works. He is credited with over 425 oils, watercolors, and drawings. Willis Seaver was born in 1844 on a farm in Suffield, near the Connecticut River. He intermittently attended the Suffield Academy, and always wanted to be a painter. A wealthy doctor became his patron, and financed his studies in 1868 at the Royal Academy in Antwerp. When the doctor passed away, Adams returned home and struggled to make a living painting. After working for a photographer for three years, he opened his own studio. Adams helped organize Cleveland's first watercolor exhibit in 1876. Soon thereafter, he completed a portrait of Rutherford B. Hayes, then governor of Ohio, prior to his becoming President of the United States. This portrait enhanced Adams notoriety. In 1878, Adams traveled to Italy where he opened a studio in Venice, and became friendly with neighbor James Whistler. Prior to returning to Springfield, Adams lived in Florence, Italy for three years. He returned to became an instructor for the Springfield Art Association, and began to exhibit his works at the galleries of James D. Gill. His first one-man exhibit was held there in 1894. Other successful exhibitions took place in Chicago, New York, and Boston. Although his works garnered respectable prices and reflected his success, Adams felt he was due more recognition. In 1906, he moved to Greenfield, Massachusetts and converted a barn into a studio. There, he fell into relative obscurity, accompanied mainly by his dog, Collie. In 1921, Adams passed away. Examples of Willis Adams works can be seen at the Kent Memorial Library, the Wadsworth Atheneum, and the Suffield Academy. Several Suffield residents are thought to own Adams paintings.
Category

1880s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Walking Home in the Snow
By John Carleton Wiggins
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
Walking Home in the Snow by John Carleton Wiggins is a captivating winter landscape that evokes the tranquil beauty of rural life. The painting depicts a lone figure, likely a young ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Ocean Landscape of Sailing off the Coast
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
This coastal landscape is done by the famed painted William Frederick De Haas (1830-1880). This painting shows two men in a canoe paddling off the cliff shore in the foreground with ...
Category

19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Livestock Landscape
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
Eugène Joseph Verboeckhoven, a luminary of 19th-century Belgian art, wielded his brush with unparalleled mastery, capturing the timeless allure of pastoral landscapes and noble anim...
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Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

“Worcester, Massachusetts”
Located in Southampton, NY
Oil on wood panel painting of a Worcester, Massachusetts view by local resident artist Mabel Blake. Signed M. Blake lower left. Circa 1880. Condition is good. The bucolic scene depicts a man in a boat...
Category

1880s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Enjoying Old Times
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
"Enjoying Old Times" by Charles Baker captures a poignant and joyful moment in the life of an older man, immersed in the beauty of nature. The painting features the man in the midst of a hike, his weathered walking stick in one hand, and a bottle of champagne in the other. His gaze is fixed on the bottle, a focused and content expression playing on his lips, suggesting a celebration of memories or perhaps a spontaneous toast to the present moment. Baker’s use of warm, earthy tones highlights the natural surroundings, with the man standing against a backdrop of greenery, a rocky path, and a clear, open sky. The composition is rich in detail, from the rugged texture of the man’s clothes...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Joachim Ferdinand Richardt, River Baptism
By Joachim Ferdinand Richardt
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This mid-19th-century oil painting by Danish-American artist Joachim Ferdinand Richardt (1819-1895) depicts a congregation observing a river baptism, probably in the Mississippi River. In 2009, at President Obama’s Inauguration luncheon, a panoramic view of Niagara was selected as the backdrop to his speech. It’s a breathtaking image, capturing the sublimity of the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls in all their iconic majesty. The ‘Maid-of-the-Mist’, negotiates the rapids, a mere speck within a broad expanse of water. While beyond, a colossal sheet of spray is sharply illuminated through passing clouds. It was painted by the son of a bookbinder, a humble Danish artist who travelled extensively across the United States to document its nature, buildings and civilization. Admired in his own lifetime, this unassuming adventurer produced scores of resplendent vistas but also numerous vignettes documenting everyday activities. Joachim Ferdinand Richardt was initially destined to become a carpenter but, thankfully, enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts where he studied under three distinguished masters. Blessed with a skill for drawing, he was awarded medals and in 1839 began exhibiting at the prestigious Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition. In 1841, the Danish Royal Family acquired one of his works and six years later granted him a five-year stipend. Richardt trained at a time of exceptional creative output whereby Denmark was developing a clearer identity. Dubbed ‘National Romanticism’, artists were extolling their country’s natural beauty, while also celebrating humble folk life within rural environs. Stylistically, their work is somewhat comparable with German Romanticism...
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1860s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Beekeeper's Daughter 1881 oil painting by Henry Bacon
Located in Hudson, NY
Lovely genre scene by American impressionist Henry Bacon (1839-1912). The Beekeeper's Daughter (1881) Oil on canvas 35" x 36" 42.5" x 33" x 3" framed Signed and dated "Henry Bacon ...
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1880s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of Grandmother and Grandson titled "Peeling Apples"
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
John George Brown (1831–1913) was a prominent British-born American painter, renowned for his genre paintings that vividly depict the everyday life of chi...
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Late 19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Warning
Located in Saratoga Springs, NY
Edward Lamson Henry (American, (1841 - 1919)) “The Warning” Grisaille on paper mounted on board, signed lower left ‘E L Henry’ (partially obscured by frame) ...
Category

Late 19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board, Laid Paper

"Portrait of an Italian Fencer, " John Frederick Kensett, Hudson River School
Located in New York, NY
John Frederick Kensett (1816 - 1872) Portrait of an Italian Fencer, circa 1845-47 Watercolor on wove paper 13 1/8 x 8 1/8 inches Signed with initials and inscribed lower right "J.F.K. Rome" From October 1845 through the spring of 1847, Kensett lived in Rome. He attended classes where he sketched from live models, and he sketched in the countryside outside Rome and around Florence, Perugia, and Venice, places he visited with his artist friends. He fulfilled commissions for paintings from Americans in Italy, and by 1847 his career was well established. Son of an English immigrant engraver, John Kensett lacked enthusiasm for that medium and became one of the most accomplished painters of the second generation of Hudson River School painters. His reputation is for Luminism, careful depiction of light, weather, and atmosphere as they affect color and texture of natural forms. He was particularly influenced by the painting of Asher Durand in that he focused on realism and detail rather than the highly dramatic views associated with Thomas Cole. Going to the western United States in the mid 1850s and the 1860s, he was the first of the Hudson River School painters to explore and paint the West. Kensett was born and raised in Cheshire, Connecticut, and learned his engraving from his father, Thomas Kensett with whom he worked in New Haven, Connecticut until 1829. He continued working until 1840 as an engraver of labels, banknotes and maps and was employed part of that time by the American Bank Note Company in New York City. There he met Thomas Rossiter, John Casilear, and other artists who urged him to pursue painting. In 1840, he and Rossiter, Asher Durand, and Casilear went to Europe where Kensett stayed for seven years and supported himself by doing engraving but became accomplished in landscape painting. Having sent canvases of Italian landscapes back to New York, he had a reputation for skillful painting that preceded him. When he returned to New York City in 1847, he was an "instant success" and very sought after by collectors. Two of his Italian landscapes had already been purchased by the American Art Union. By 1849, he was a full member of the National Academy of Design and was generally popular among his peers. His studio was a gathering place with travelers stopping by to see his canvases and to identify "precise locations in the Catskills or Newport or New England in the oil sketches and drawings that covered his walls." (Zellman 170). For the women, he was a popular bachelor, "romantic looking with high forehead and sensitive expression." (Samuels 262) He was also sought after by many organizations. Among his activities were serving on the committee to oversee the decoration of the United States Capitol in Washington DC, and becoming one of the founders of the Metropolitan Museum in New York. An inveterate traveler, Kensett spent summers on painting excursions away from New York City. One of these trips was a special painting excursion with fifteen other artists sponsored by the B & O Railroad from Baltimore, Maryland to Wheeling, West Virginia. Unlike many of the Hudson River painters...
Category

1840s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Portraits of a man and Woman Circa 1850-1860 Original Oil on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
Portraits of a man and Woman Circa 1850-1860 Original Oil on Paper Early American portraits in the style of and possibly by Henry Bryan Hall (English/American, 1808-1861) Later in hi...
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Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Laid Paper

Oil Landscape with Two Girls titled "Girls Waiting for Father"
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
Virginia Granbery (1831-1921) was an accomplished American artist known for her work in watercolor and oil paintings. Granbery's works predominantly featured landscapes, floral studi...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Figurative Landscape titled "School Time"
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
Theodore E. Pine (1828-1905) was an American artist known for his portraits and genre paintings. Pine specialized in portraiture, capturing the likenesses and personalities of his su...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A Friend of a Friend (oil painting of young boys in landscape)
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
Richard Law Hinsdale (1832–1874) was an American painter known for his contributions to landscape and genre painting during the mid-19th century, mostly in the Hudson River School. He received brief instruction from Alexander Emmons, Philip Hewins and Jared B Flagg as well as being exhibited in American art...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of Young Woman Sewing in a Rocking Chair
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
"Young Lady Sewing on Rocking Chair" by an 1860s American School artist is a charming watercolor painting that captures a traditionally domestic moment...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

19th Century White Mountain Landscape, Unknown American School
Located in New York, NY
Unknown White Mountain Artist White Mountain Landscape, 19th Century Oil on board 5 x 9 1/4 in. Framed: 7 3/4 x 11 3/4 in.
Category

19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Fishing Along the Meder River at the edge of Vic, Spain
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
Samuel Coleman's "Fishing Along the Meder River at the Edge of Vic, Spain" is a captivating painting that beautifully captures both the charm of the riverside, and the beauty of the ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Pleasant Thoughts oil painting by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait
Located in Hudson, NY
This painting is listed in the W.H. Cadbury and H.F. Marsh book Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, Delaware, 1986, no.59.36t. It is hand-signed "AF Tait...
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1850s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Children Feeding the Horse
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
This captivating artwork, titled "Children Feeding the Horse", is masterfully executed in rich tones. It depicts two children tenderly feeding a gentle white horse against a familiar...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

"A Quiet Afternoon" Enoch Wood Perry, Genre Scene Mother and Child Interior
By Enoch Wood Perry Jr.
Located in New York, NY
Enoch Wood Perry, Jr. (1831 - 1915) A Quiet Afternoon, 1876 Oil on canvas 15 1/4 x 21 inches Signed and dated lower right Born in 1831 in Boston, Enoch Wood Perry, Jr, is internati...
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1870s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Little Girl Reading by House
By Edward Lamson Henry
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
"Reading After School," attributed to Edward Lamson Henry, offers a glimpse into the everyday moments of 19th-century American life. Known for his meticulous detail and his ability t...
Category

Late 19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

The Rapelye Homestead, Bowery Bay, Long Island
Located in New York, NY
Signed and dated lower left: W.R. Miller. 1877.
Category

Late 19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Young Ladies Sewing
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
"Young Ladies Sewing" by Francis Blackwell Mayer is a charming portrayal of domestic life in the 19th century. Painted by the American artist known for his genre scenes and historica...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Watercolor Landscape of Natural Bridge, Virginia
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
William Guy Wall, a renowned artist of the early 19th century, is celebrated for his exquisite landscape paintings, and particularly with this watercolor. This painting, titled, "Nat...
Category

Early 19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

A Day in June, Scene Eastchest, New York
Located in Missouri, MO
A Day in June, Scene Eastchest, New York Edward Gay (Irish, American, 1837-1928) Oil on Canvas Complimented by original frame in great condition Signed and Dated Lower Right Titled a...
Category

1890s Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Columbian Exhibition, the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair
Located in Saratoga Springs, NY
Thaddeus Welch (American 1844-1919) The Columbian Exhibition, the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair 70 x 35”, oil on board signed Request Price The C...
Category

Late 19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Hudson River School figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Hudson River School figurative paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 19th Century, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Henry Bacon, John Frederick Kensett, George Herbert McCord, and William Rickarby Miller. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Hudson River School figurative paintings, so small editions measuring 5.75 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $800 and tops out at $65,000, while the average work sells for $10,500.

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