George Inness (American, 1825-1894) The Coming Storm, 1878 Oil on canvas, 26 x 38 1/2" Albert H. Tracy Fund, 1900

The American idea of nature in the nineteenth century was pantheistic and spiritual. Nature was the work of God and was believed to have the power to uplift, both morally and spiritually, anyone who spent time in its contemplation. George Inness, unlike many of his contemporaries, did not paint vast expanses of the wilderness. He chose instead to represent settled and cultivated landscapes, such as this one believed to be in New Hampshire. Inness was not interested in realism, or scientific studies of nature, but instead had a philosophical approach to landscape. In his middle age, he was drawn to the ideas of Swedish philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg, which taught that God was immanent in every living thing and that the visual world contained an inner essence that was revealed subconsciously to those who were attuned to it. Inness believed that it was the artist’s role to capture on canvas these spiritual qualities of nature in order to help other people see them as well. He wrote, "The purpose of the painter is simply to reproduce in other minds the impression which a scene has made upon him. A work of art does not appeal to the intellect. It does not appeal to the moral sense. Its aim is to instruct, not to edify, but to awaken an emotion."

The Coming Storm, a favorite theme in his work, reflects this philosophy, as well as Inness’s belief that the relationship between man and nature was one of equals who lived in harmony, with neither being dominated by the other. For example, although a seemingly violent storm approaches, the farmer continues to cultivate his field unconcerned, while his cattle graze peacefully in the pasture. The farms are nestled safely and snugly in the landscape, and the smoke from the chimney of the one on the left mingles with the clouds, whose darkness contrasts dramatically with the unusual light effects caused by such storms. The continuity and renewal of life is reflected in the farmland itself and also by the juxtaposition of a stump and a newly growing sapling in the lower right corner. Inness described the balance of the observed with the inferred in his paintings: "Whatever is painted truly according to any idea of unity possesses both the subjective sentiment—the poetry of nature—and the objective fact." Thus, what he sees is combined with what he feels.

There is a local history regarding The Coming Storm. Inness’s daughters attended a boarding school in Batavia, New York, and the artist gave the headmistress this painting as a partial tuition payment. She gave it to her daughter in Buffalo, and The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy purchased it from her in 1900.

— Mariann Smith

SUGGESTIONS FOR HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION

• Choose a weather phenomenon—i.e. thunderstorm, hurricane, tornado. Have the students research and draw or paint a familiar scene using that weather—the school, a nearby park, their house.
• Find a place near the school or your house, outside or inside. Sit in the same spot and sketch it with a pencil in the morning, afternoon, and night. Take notes about colors and how they change at each time. Make a note about where the sun is or where light sources are, even if the light sources don’t show in the drawings. Back in class, do a painting from sketches and notes.
• Draw or paint a scene of people participating in an activity that is in harmony with nature. Discuss Native American views of nature, and do the drawing again from their point of view.
• Today many people, corporations, etc. are criticized for their treatment of nature. Draw a scene of how nature can be mistreated in today’s world. Then have the students draw the same scene the way things should be if people care about the environment.