Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Vista

Ralph Albert Blakelock

Date

c. 1890

Medium

Oil on canvas

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Rather than turning to Europe as many American artists did in the 1800s, Ralph Blakelock found inspiration in his own country. He painted romantic landscapes. For him, forests evoked a mood, usually of melancholy and solitude. The Vista’s theme is isolation within nature. In this still forest, no creatures are to be seen. The vibrant colors and impasto painting technique add drama. The paint was laid thickly on the canvas and then roughed up, in this case with a meat skewer (most artists used a knife). Blakelock’s method of painting and his view of nature were not appreciated in his own day, but now he is recognized as a great Romantic painter. United States, Americas

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