June 20 – October 11, 2026
Fowler Gallery
William Langson Lathrop (American, 1859–1938), Shepherdess, Sheep at Sunset, 1888, etching on Japanese vellum. Purchase: SOTA Print Fund, 1998. (1998.11.3)
In the nineteenth century, American artists hoped to capture the unique characteristics of the North American landscape, offering panoramas of iconic landmarks as well as intimate views of the countryside. This network of artists—later coined the Hudson River School—exalted the wonders of the native landscape as serene, wonderous, and hopeful for the future.
Pulling from the Museum’s permanent collection, this exhibition explores sublime views of mountains and waterfalls, picturesque pastures, and contemplative scenes of the natural wilderness. These paintings idealized the American landscape while also concealing ecological damage and colonial violence. Through close inspection of nineteenth-century landscapes, we can unravel the ways these idyllic fantasies are interconnected with social, political, and environmental romanticism.
This exhibition is supported in part by Discover Lehigh Valley®.
This exhibition is supported through the generosity of the Bernard and Audrey Berman Foundation and the Leon C. and June W. Holt Endowment.