James McDougal Hart (1828 - 1901)
James McDougal Hart (1828-1901)
A Day in November, 1863
- Oil on canvas
- 10 1/2 x 18 inches
- Signed and dated 1863, lower left
- Inscribed with title and dated 1863, verso
A Day in November, 1863 is an accomplished essay by Hart which carefully notes his interest in country life. A mother and child ride an ox-drawn wagon of logs while the father steers the way. The artist’s lessons in careful draftsmanship are reflected both in smaller details of the scene such as the perspective of the wagon’s wheels as well as in the whole shaping of the composition such as the lines of the stone fence and the white steeple spire and village buildings tucked into the nearby hills. The painting was most likely executed in the Catskill region as it is inscribed by the artist with a New York location.
