Winter Sunset

Birge Harrison, Winter Sunset, ca. 1890, oil on wood mounted on wooden cradle, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1984.23
Copied Birge Harrison, Winter Sunset, ca. 1890, oil on wood mounted on wooden cradle, 15 1⁄4 x 23 3⁄8 in. (38.7 x 59.4 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1984.23
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Winter Sunset
Artist
Date
ca. 1890
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
15 1⁄4 x 23 3⁄8 in. (38.7 x 59.4 cm.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on wood mounted on wooden cradle
Classifications
Keywords
  • Waterscape — harbor
  • Waterscape — coast
  • Architecture — boat — sailboat
  • Waterscape — time — sunset
  • Waterscape — season — winter
Object Number
1984.23
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1984.23

Artwork Description

In his 1909 book, Landscape Painting, Birge Harrison described color as “dancing” in nature, and he was especially fascinated by the subtle tones in a wintry landscape. In this image, he painted the pinks and purples of a winter sunset reflected and diffused across broken ice. The dark boats trapped by the frozen water and the pale colors evoke an environment that is both harsh and beautiful.