View Near Jessup's Landing (No. 3 of The Hudson River Portfolio)
Medium
Aquatint printed in color with hand-coloring; second state of two (Koke)
Dimensions
Image: 14 1/16 x 20 3/16 in. (35.7 x 51.3 cm) Sheet: 19 x 24 1/2 in. (48.3 x 62.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Edward W. C. Arnold Collection of New York Prints, Maps and Pictures, Bequest of Edward W. C. Arnold, 1954
Accession Number
54.90.1274(3)
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
"View Near Jessup's," the third plate in *The Hudson River Portfolio* (1821–22), captures the serene beauty of the Hudson River valley, showcasing rolling hills, winding waterways, and lush landscapes. Painted by Irish-American artist William Guy Wall, watercolor originals inspired the series, this print celebrates the majestic scenery of New York's Hudson River region—a vital artery of early American commerce and exploration. As part of a groundbreaking 20-print folio published by Henry J. Megarey, it reflects the era's growing national pride in America's natural wonders, predating the Hudson River School but paving the way for its romantic landscapes. Crafted through collaborative artistry, the image is an aquatint printed in color with delicate hand-coloring, the second state of two as noted by print scholar Richard Koke. Aquatint, a tonal etching technique pioneered in the late 18th century, allowed for soft, painterly effects ideal for evoking atmospheric depth in landscapes. Engravers like John Hill, John Rubens Smith, and the Rollinson brothers meticulously translated Wall's visions, making these affordable prints accessible to a wider public beyond elite collectors. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Edward W. C. Arnold Collection, this work highlights the Portfolio's cultural role in promoting tourism and preserving vanishing wilderness views, inviting 19th-century viewers—and us today—to marvel at the Hudson's timeless allure.
About the Artist
William Guy Wall|Henry J. Megarey|John Rubens Smith|W. B. Gilley|John Mill|William and Charles Rollinson|John Hill · 1792–1864
William Guy Wall, born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1792, arrived in New York in 1812 already well-trained as an artist, having honed his skills back home before emigrating. Little is documented about his formal instruction in Ireland, but his proficiency in watercolor positioned him immediately among the city's burgeoning artistic scene. Wall resided in America from 1812 to 1835 and again from 1856 to ...