Maidstone, Vermont

Albert Fitch Bellows

Graphite on paper

Metropolitan Museum of Art

This delicate drawing captures the pastoral tranquility of Maidstone, Vermont, rendered by Albert Fitch Bellows, a distinguished American landscape artist of the Hudson River School. Bellows began his career as an architect before becoming a celebrated painter and pioneer of the watercolor medium, eventually being honored with membership in the prestigious Royal Belgian Society of Water-Colorists. The work exemplifies his signature gentle and peaceful approach to depicting New England landscapes, based on sketches made during his travels through Vermont, Maine, and Connecticut. This intimate drawing from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection brings the serene beauty of 19th-century rural New England into any home.