Lighthouse near Natchez on the Mississippi

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Artist

Karl Bodmer

Birth and death dates

1809 - 1893

Artist Nationality

Swiss

Title

Lighthouse near Natchez on the Mississippi

Date

January 1833

Dimensions

8 1/2 × 6 3/8 in. (21.6 × 16.2 cm)

Medium

Watercolor and graphite on paper

Institution

Joslyn Art Museum

Credit Line

Gift of the Enron Art Foundation

Accession Number

1986.49.92

Rights (i.e. copyright information)

Joslyn Art Museum

Photographer credit

Photograph © Bruce M. White, 2019

Commentary

The city of Natchez, where the Homer stopped for an hour to take on wood, was later described by Bodmer as "a bad and dirty place, notorious on account of its gamblers and disorderly women." The climatic change experienced downriver from Memphis made a distinct impression on the young Swiss artist, who afterward reported to Maximilian that "we came in two days from total winter into the most beautiful spring!" On the return voyage during the latter part of January, Bodmer spent approximately eight days at Natchez. His view of the lighthouse near Natchez, seen from the opposite side of the river, suggests his flair for the dramatic in landscapes.

References in Journal

February 15, 1833

Labels:

genre, riverscape , Mississippi River

Approximate Depicted Location:

Natchez, Mississippi