The Hudson River School’s work was characterized by both an analytical precision of observation and a romanticism that could sometimes erupt into violent effects. Watson presents a tempestuous foreground bordered on both sides by trees and backed by a sky filled with dark, ominous clouds. One of the first major statements in Watson’s lifelong commitment to portraying nature’s power and drama, this painting contains a wealth of detail—steep cliffs, angry clouds, blasted trees, and dozens of rocks—that the artist controls by subordinating them to an omnipresent, brooding atmosphere.

This Spotlight is excerpted from Homer Watson: Life & Work by Brian Foss.