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Untitled (Rural Landscape), c. 1890, Edward Loyal Field (American, 1856–1914), Etching on wove paper, Bequest of Judge John Webb Green and Ellen McClung Green, 1957.3.303.2.

Untitled (Rural Landscape)

Untitled (Rural Landscape), c. 1890, Edward Loyal Field (American, 1856–1914), Etching on wove paper, Bequest of Judge John Webb Green and Ellen McClung Green, 1957.3.303.2.

Edward Loyal Field, though a relatively unknown etcher, watercolorist, and oil painter, was an important contributor to the American Tonalist movement. A style of American art emerging between 1880 and 1920 and especially applied to landscapes, it was characterized by soft light, muted tones, and emphasis on mood and shadow. Its practitioners focused on capturing the mood of a landscape more than its literal appearance. Field almost exclusively created landscapes featuring meandering rivers, country lanes, and bucolic cottages. His compositions often have a strong focus on a clump of trees, giving a sense of drama to an otherwise commonplace scene.