Xanthus Smith, Peak of Otter - Mount Desert, Maine, 1877

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Xanthus Smith, *Peak of Otter - Mount Desert, Maine, 1877
Oil on canvas, 30 x 20 inches (canvas) - 35.5" … Read more Xanthus Smith, *Peak of Otter - Mount Desert, Maine, 1877
Oil on canvas, 30 x 20 inches (canvas) - 35.5" w x 25.625" h (frame)

This finely executed oil painting by American artist Xanthus Smith (1839–1929) depicts a dramatic landscape of Mount Desert, Maine, with a towering rocky peak enveloped in mist. The composition is characterized by a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, as sunlight breaks through the atmospheric haze, illuminating the lush greenery and rugged terrain. A body of water in the foreground reflects the shifting sky, while detailed foliage and rock formations demonstrate Smith’s meticulous brushwork and attention to naturalistic textures.

Smith, known primarily for his maritime and landscape paintings, was influenced by the Hudson River School’s emphasis on realism and atmospheric perspective. This painting exemplifies his ability to capture the grandeur of the American wilderness with a delicate yet precise rendering of form and light. The work is housed in its original giltwood frame and bears provenance from the esteemed Vose Galleries of Boston, a long-established dealer of fine American paintings. See less