Lake Wawayanda (Winding Water)

A Hudson River School artist, Cropsey is known for his richly rendered landscapes of New York and New Jersey. His wife’s family had a lake home near Greenwood Lake in northern New Jersey, which became a frequent source of inspiration in his work. Located only a few miles from Greenwood Lake is Lake Wawayanda, the subject of this painting. Cropsey believed landscapes were the highest art form, as only nature could fully capture the glory of God. This spiritual beauty is captured in the painting’s delicate tonalities and the tranquil, glowing luminosity of the lake.

The light-filled tranquility of this scene exemplifies Luminism, a uniquely American painting style which emphasized meticulous realism and subtle atmospheric modulations. The painting's smooth surface shows barely a trace of the artist's hand, encouraging the viewer to "bypass" the framed two-dimensional image and engage in a more visceral and immediate experience of the natural world.