Lake George
John William Casilear American
In this painting of one of Casilear’s favorite sites—Lake George, in the Adirondack Mountains—the influence of John Frederick Kensett, one of the artist’s sketching companions, is unmistakable in the treatment of the water and the light. Casilear’s background as an engraver is reflected in the highly finished quality of the canvas and the attention to detail in the foliage and rock formations of the foreground. A sense of calm pervades the scene; there is not a single ripple on the lake. The vantage point is from the western shore, looking south toward Black Mountain.