Chimborazo from the Rio Guayas, Ecuador
Classification
landscapes
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Louis P. Church
Accession Number
1917-4-823
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Frederic Edwin Church, leading figure of the Hudson River School, captured the majestic Chimborazo volcano in this 1857 landscape, viewed from the Rio Guayas in Ecuador. during Church's second expedition to South America, the work reflects his passion for the world's most dramatic natural wonders. Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest peak at over 20,600 feet, symbolized sublime beauty and scientific intrigue in the 19th century, inspired explorer Alexander von Humboldt's influential writings. Church's on-site sketches like this one were vital to his process, serving as studies for larger studio canv...