Collections: American Art: In the Woods

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In the Woods

A successful civil engineer and author, Francis “Hop” Smith was also an accomplished watercolorist whose faithful approach to landscape resembled that of the American Pre-Raphaelites. He found his subject matter in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where he made regular summer sketching excursions. Smith’s pictures of trees earned him special praise from contemporary critics who admired his portrait-like, noble characterizations of these old forest dwellers.


• Artist: Francis Hopkinson Smith, American, 1838-1915
• Medium: Transparent and opaque watercolor and black chalk on beige, thick, rough-textured woodpulp board
• Dates: 1877
• Dimensions: 26 7/16 x 16 1/16 in. (67.2 x 40.8 cm) Frame: 35 x 24 1/4 x 2 7/8 in. (88.9 x 61.6 x 7.3 cm)
• Signature: Signed and dated lower right (initials in monogram): "FHS / 77"
• Collections: American Art
• Museum Location: This item is not on view
• Accession Number: 1994.65
• Credit Line: Gift of the American Art Council
• Image: Overall, 1994.65_transp599.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
Francis Hopkinson Smith (American, 1838-1915). In the Woods, 1877. Transparent and opaque watercolor and black chalk on beige, thick, rough-textured woodpulp board, 26 7/16 x 16 1/16 in. (67.2 x 40.8 cm) Frame: 35 x 24 1/4 x 2 7/8 in. (88.9 x 61.6 x 7.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the American Art Council, 1994.65 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1994.65_transp599.jpg)