American Landscape – Early Morning

In this depiction of peaceful country life, a youth and a dog herd three cows and a calf along a dirt road past a modest wooden house with green shutters. A water trough is at the far left. Large leafy trees dominate the right side of the image. While another small house is visible in the right middle distance, beyond is a vista of a grand river. Nathaniel Currier, who established a successful New York-based lithography firm in 1835, produced thousands of hand-colored prints in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life. In 1857, Currier made James Merritt Ives, his brother Charles's brother-in-law, a business partner; the firm was renamed Currier & Ives. People eagerly acquired Currier & Ives lithographs, such as those featuring landscapes, rural and city views, hunting and fishing scenes, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments.