George Inness was born in Newburgh, NY, and split his time between New York City and Newark, NJ. A landscape painter influenced by the Hudson River School painters, as well as the painters of the French Barbizon School, he created an image of the American landscape in a unique way. He painted using loose brushstrokes and bold daubs of color. Inness’s works capture the essence of nature. This essence can be seen in Noonhill, Medfield, 1863.

Noonhill, Medfield, illustrates the early development of the landscape in Medfield, Massachusetts. Evergreens are scattered throughout the valley leading to the hazy mountainous horizon line. Farmhouses with smoke emanating from the chimneys, a farmer grazing his cattle, and a man fishing in the lake are all indications of settlement and man’s ability to coexist with nature. Inness’s illuminating yellow sky is contrasted beautifully with the brown feathery strokes in the foreground.