Tappan Zee, from Glenwood

This small-scale view of the Hudson River near John Williamson's home in Glenwood, New York, is typical of the sketchlike images that constitute much of his production. Williamson took the view looking north from his vantage point on the east side of the river, with the high cliffs of the western shore on the right and the relatively narrow, sail-studded passage of the Tappan Zee at the center of the scene. More ambitious painters of the period would have used this work as the starting point for larger and more highly developed and detailed compositions. Part of the appeal of the work for the modern eye is its fresh, sketchy appearance.