“In the White Mountains,” painted by David Johnson in 1858, belongs to the Luminism art movement and is categorized as a landscape genre. The artwork depicts a serene natural scene within the White Mountains, which are part of the northern Appalachian Mountains.
The painting shows a vast and detailed natural landscape bathed in soft, natural light, which is characteristic of Luminist works. In the foreground, we see rocky terrain with patches of greenery and shrubbery under a dynamic sky filled with wispy clouds. The middle ground reveals a lush valley flanked by gentle slopes. In the distance, the White Mountains rise majestically against the sky, their blue and purple hues suggesting depth and atmosphere. Two tiny figures on a path in the center-right part of the painting provide a sense of scale and human presence amidst the grandeur of nature. Johnson’s fine brushwork and the tranquil mood of the painting capture the luminous quality of light and its effect on the landscape, which is central to the Luminist style.
