The Empty Cradle
Medium
figures
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1948-56-2
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Thomas Moran (1837–1926), a British-born artist who became a cornerstone of American landscape painting, is best known for his luminous depictions of the American West often associated with the Hudson River School In *The Empty Cradle* (1880), Moran shifts focus to the human form, classified here as "figures" within the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection. during the Gilded Age—a time of rapid industrialization and social change in the United States—this work reflects Moran's versatility beyond his iconic wilderness scenes, exploring intimate, evocative subjects. The title *The Empty...