Harvest Scene in the Delaware Valley

George Inness

National Gallery of Art

This painting depicts a vast countryside from an elevated point of view. At the bottom of the painting is a wide brown and green field that appears to be growing wheat or a similar crop. Small people appear to work the field, gathering the material into piles. Brown and white cows graze in a green area behind the field. A stand of tall, dark green trees sits in the middle of the painting, behind the field. In the distance there are rolling green hills with small white buildings scattered around them. Behind these hills lies a tall, light blue mountain. Most of the top half of the painting is taken up by a wide blue sky packed with gray and white clouds. A ray of light shines between the clouds and illuminates the field below.