Levi Wells Prentice (1851-1935)

We would like to thank Barbara Jones of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art for her assistance with cataloging this lot. Barbara is the author of the catalog Nature Staged: The Landscape and Still Life Paintings of Levi Wells Prentice (1993) and curator of the related exhibition for the Adirondack Museum.
 
This rare sunset view of Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondacks includes several depictions of area landmarks. The structure at far left represents the three-storied Ordway House, also known as the American Hotel, which opened in 1877. The hotel later became the historic and luxurious Prospect House, a destination for the elite. The small island with a building in the middleground can be identified as Thacher Island. In the background, one can see a bit of Eagle Lake, which is accessible via a narrow passage from Blue Mountain Lake. The artist's vantage point was probably situated high above the lake, possibly from Merwin's Blue Mountain House, which is now the site of the Adirondack Museum.