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Mount Washington
William Henry Hilliard (1836-1905)
Signed and dated lower left; W. H. Hilliard 76
Oil on canvas, 16 x 26 inches
Private collection
By the late 1870s American art was influenced by the French Barbizon school, which favored more intimate studies of the land. This new style suited a younger generation of American painters, who began to produce images that were sentimental and decorative—perfect for hanging in the late Victorian parlor. This change in taste is evident in the work of William Henry Hilliard, whose first dated White Mountain subjects were painted in 1876. Hilliard's use of bright maples and autumn light, even late in his career, suggests there was a steady demand for such images. He recognized perhaps that as long as the region remained popular as a tourist destination, his sentimental autumn views of Franconia Notch and Mount Washington would find a ready market.
