Storm King, 1871 (from Sketchbook)

Art Historical Context

Daniel Huntington's *Storm King, 1871 (from Sketchbook)* captures the majestic Hudson Valley landmark in a intimate graphite sketch, measuring just 5½ x 8¾ inches. Created around 1870, this portable drawing from the artist's sketchbook reflects the 19th-century American tradition of on-site landscape studies, where artists ventured into nature to document its fleeting beauty. Storm King Mountain, with its dramatic peaks overlooking the Hudson River, symbolized America's untamed wilderness during a time of rapid industrialization post-Civil War. As a graphite-on-paper work, the piece showcases Huntington's skillful use of pencil for subtle shading and line work, allowing quick notations of light, shadow, and form. These sketchbook pages were vital preparatory tools for larger oil paintings, revealing the artist's direct engagement with the land. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this gift from S.B. Luyster in 1936 highlights everyday artistic practice amid the grandeur of Romantic landscapes. Though small in scale, *Storm King* invites visitors to appreciate the raw energy of nature through Huntington's observant eye, bridging personal exploration and national identity in American art.

About the Artist

Daniel Huntington · 1816–1906

Daniel Huntington (1816–1906) was born into a prominent New York family on October 4, 1816, descending from distinguished New England lineage. His early education began at age fourteen at Smith's Academy in New Haven, followed by Yale College, where he studied with Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor, artist, and president of the National Academy of Design, in 1835. After a disciplinary incident invo...