Tip: move over the painting to use the lens.
Early Morning, Tarpon Springs
George Inness · 1892
- Artist
- George Inness (American, 1825–1894)
- Date
- 1892
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Size
- 107.2 × 82.2 cm (42 3/16 × 32 3/8 in.)
- Made in
- United States
- Style
- Impressionism
- Where to see it
- Art Institute of Chicago
Edward B. Butler Collection · CC0 Public Domain · Art Institute of Chicago · image via Wikimedia Commons · see it at the museum ↗
Notes from the museum
The light and landscape of Florida inspired George Inness’s Early Morning, Tarpon Springs . Amid the pale pinks and blues of sunrise, a miniscule figure stands in a grove of trees, harmonizing with the surrounding landscape. The color of his pants mirrors that of the tree trunks, and his red hat suggests a luminous, low sun. Believing that objects in the natural world were suffused with spiritual meaning, Inness incorporated the tenets of Swedenborgian Christianity into his work. Landscape painting, in turn, became a site for contemplation and religious experience.
Text: Art Institute of Chicago (open access). Our full story for this work is coming soon.
Slow Look
- The whole picture Let your eyes wander. Where do they want to rest?
- The light Find the brightest spot. What is it showing you?
- The edges Look at what is half cut off at the borders.
- One small detail Choose one tiny thing and stay with it for a while.
- The whole picture again Step back. Has it changed for you?
About George Inness
George Inness was an American landscape painter.
What do you see?
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