Luminist Paintings

Still water, hazy light and glassy calm: the quietest American landscapes.

1850s–1870s. 46 paintings here, dated 1846 to 1890, with works by John Frederick Kensett, Martin Johnson Heade, Fitz Henry Lane and Sanford Robinson Gifford. They suit the living room, bedroom and guest room most often.

46 paintings

Still life of sensuously detailed painting of four white magnolias lying on blue velvet cloth.

Martin Johnson Heade Magnolias on Light Blue Velvet Cloth, 1885–95 Art Institute of Chicago

Lake George, John Frederick Kensett, 1869, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Lake George, 1869 The Met

A Home in the Wilderness, Sanford Robinson Gifford, 1866, oil on canvas

Sanford Robinson Gifford A Home in the Wilderness, 1866 Cleveland Museum of Art

View of Niagara Falls, John Frederick Kensett, c. 1851–52, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett View of Niagara Falls, c. 1851–52 Cleveland Museum of Art

Harbor of Boston, with the City in the Distance, Fitz Henry Lane, c. 1846–47, oil on canvas

Fitz Henry Lane Harbor of Boston, with the City in the Distance, c. 1846–47 Cleveland Museum of Art

Autumn, a Wood Path, Sanford Robinson Gifford, 1876, oil on canvas

Sanford Robinson Gifford Autumn, a Wood Path, 1876 Cleveland Museum of Art

Apple Blossoms, Martin Johnson Heade, 1873, oil on canvas

Martin Johnson Heade Apple Blossoms, 1873 Cleveland Museum of Art

Orchid Blossoms, Martin Johnson Heade, 1873, oil on canvas

Martin Johnson Heade Orchid Blossoms, 1873 Cleveland Museum of Art

Isola Bella in Lago Maggiore, Sanford Robinson Gifford, 1871, oil on canvas

Sanford Robinson Gifford Isola Bella in Lago Maggiore, 1871 The Met

Tivoli, Sanford Robinson Gifford, 1870, oil on canvas

Sanford Robinson Gifford Tivoli, 1870 The Met

Newburyport Meadows, Martin Johnson Heade, ca. 1876–81, oil on canvas

Martin Johnson Heade Newburyport Meadows, ca. 1876–81 The Met

Eaton's Neck, Long Island, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Eaton's Neck, Long Island, 1872 The Met

A Foggy Sky, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett A Foggy Sky, 1872 The Met

Hudson River Scene, John Frederick Kensett, 1857, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Hudson River Scene, 1857 The Met

Lake George, 1872, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Lake George, 1872, 1872 The Met

Lake George, A Reminiscence, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Lake George, A Reminiscence, 1872 The Met

Lake George, Free Study, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Lake George, Free Study, 1872 The Met

Lake George, New York, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Lake George, New York, 1872 The Met

Newport Rocks, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Newport Rocks, 1872 The Met

October in the Marshes, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett October in the Marshes, 1872 The Met

Passing off of the Storm, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Passing off of the Storm, 1872 The Met

Salt Meadow in October, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Salt Meadow in October, 1872 The Met

The Sea, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett The Sea, 1872 The Met

Summer Day on Conesus Lake, John Frederick Kensett, 1870, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Summer Day on Conesus Lake, 1870 The Met

Sunset, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Sunset, 1872 The Met

Sunset on the Sea, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Sunset on the Sea, 1872 The Met

Twilight in the Cedars at Darien, Connecticut, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Twilight in the Cedars at Darien, Connecticut, 1872 The Met

Twilight on the Sound, Darien, Connecticut, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Twilight on the Sound, Darien, Connecticut, 1872 The Met

The Golden State Entering New York Harbor, Fitz Henry Lane, 1854, oil on canvas

Fitz Henry Lane The Golden State Entering New York Harbor, 1854 The Met

This painting depicts a pastoral scene with grassy marshland dotted with several yellow haystacks. A river winds through the flat green landscape, and on the right side a shallow boat sits next to the edge of the water.

Martin Johnson Heade View of Marshfield, c. 1866/1876 National Gallery of Art

Brace's Rock, Eastern Point, Gloucester, Fitz Henry Lane, c. 1864, oil on canvas

Fitz Henry Lane Brace's Rock, Eastern Point, Gloucester, c. 1864 National Gallery of Art

Across a short stretch of sand in front of us, waves of bottle-green water break over two boulders on the shoreline, with sailboats in the water beyond, in this wide, horizontal painting.

Martin Johnson Heade Rio de Janeiro Bay, 1864 National Gallery of Art

Near the center of the painting, a masted wooden ship floats against a vibrant sunset that fades from lilac purple to carnation pink along the horizon line, which comes about a quarter of the way up this horizontal landscape.

Fitz Henry Lane Lumber Schooners at Evening on Penobscot Bay, 1863 National Gallery of Art

Two ships and two sailboats, all with full sails, float on a gently rippling body of water in front of a pale pastel-shaded sky in this horizontal painting.

Fitz Henry Lane Becalmed off Halfway Rock, 1860 National Gallery of Art

This painting shows a seascape with large sailing ships and smaller vessels. To the right of center is a large ship with several tall masts and many billowing white sails.

Fitz Henry Lane New York Harbor, 1852 National Gallery of Art

Twigs of a magnolia tree with light green, glossy leaves and three cream-white blossoms lie on a sapphire-blue cloth in this horizontal still life painting.

Martin Johnson Heade Giant Magnolias on a Blue Velvet Cloth, c. 1890 National Gallery of Art

Sunset Sky, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Sunset Sky, 1872 The Met

Hummingbird and Apple Blossoms, Martin Johnson Heade, 1875, oil on canvas

Martin Johnson Heade Hummingbird and Apple Blossoms, 1875 The Met

Stage Fort across Gloucester Harbor, Fitz Henry Lane, 1862, oil on canvas

Fitz Henry Lane Stage Fort across Gloucester Harbor, 1862 The Met

Against a distant, hazy, verdant forest, a petal-pink and amethyst-purple orchid grows from a mossy branch close to us, to our left, while three jewel-toned hummingbirds gather around a nest to our right in this horizontal painting.

Martin Johnson Heade Cattleya Orchid and Three Hummingbirds, 1871 National Gallery of Art

A Gorge in the Mountains (Kauterskill Clove), Sanford Robinson Gifford, 1862, oil on canvas

Sanford Robinson Gifford A Gorge in the Mountains (Kauterskill Clove), 1862 The Met

Gathering Storm on Long Island Sound, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Gathering Storm on Long Island Sound, 1872 The Met

The Old Pine, Darien, Connecticut, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett The Old Pine, Darien, Connecticut, 1872 The Met

An October Day in the White Mountains, John Frederick Kensett, 1854, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett An October Day in the White Mountains, 1854 Cleveland Museum of Art

Study of Beeches, John Frederick Kensett, 1872, oil on canvas

John Frederick Kensett Study of Beeches, 1872 The Met

High Tide on the Marshes, Martin Johnson Heade, 1872, oil on canvas

Martin Johnson Heade High Tide on the Marshes, 1872 Cleveland Museum of Art

Rooms these paintings suit