View Near Fort Montgomery (No. 22 (later changed to No. 18) of The Hudson River Portfolio)

Art Historical Context

"View Near Fort Montgomery," plate No. 22 (later renumbered 18) from *The Hudson River Portfolio* (1821–1825), captures the majestic Hudson River landscape in a panoramic vista of rivers, hills, and distant figures, evoking the untamed beauty of early 19th-century America. Created by Irish-born artist William Guy Wall, sketched the original watercolor views; engraver John Hill, renowned for his aquatint mastery; and publisher Henry J Megarey, this 1822 print was part of a groundbreaking series of 20 aquatints aimed at celebrating the Hudson Valley's scenic wonders and boosting tourism. Printed in color with delicate hand-coloring—this rare first state of three (as noted by scholar Richard Koke)—the medium showcases aquatint's tonal richness, mimicking watercolor washes to produce luminous, painterly effects affordable to a wider public. At 14 x 20 inches, its generous scale immerses viewers in the scene, highlighting craggy hills, flowing waters, and tiny men that underscore human harmony with nature. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Edward W. C. Arnold Collection, this print heralds the Hudson River School's romantic embrace of American wilderness, just decades after the Revolution. Fort Montgomery's ruins nearby nod to patriotic history, blending natural splendor with national pride in an era when such portfolios fueled wanderlust and cultural identity.