Sledding (Primary Title)
George Henry Durrie, American, 1820 - 1863 (Artist)
Durrie is best known for his picturesque and carefree paintings of New England country life, which were popularized through prints made by the lithographers Currier and Ives. Often set in winter, Durrie’s images depict simple pursuits, like sledding, as idyllic—and distinctly American—pastimes. The joy contained in this whimsical image of boyhood typifies Durrie’s wholesome vision of rural life, where fun does not conflict with good behavior. Such images now appeal to one’s sense of nostalgia for a simpler past, yet at the time many considered them emblematic of the virtues and moral character that fueled the prosperity of a growing nation.
signed and dated lower right: G. H. Durrie 1851
Paul Mellon Collection
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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