George Inness A Sunset (c. 1879) Oil on canvas, 16 ¼ x 24 inches Purchased with funds donated by the Enid and Crosby Kemper Foundation George Inness, born and raised in the New York City area, was one of the major landscape artists of the nineteenth century.  In contrast to many artists of the period who focused on American scenes and styles, Inness was heavily influenced by European old masters.  This painting also shows the influence of the Barbizon School working in France at mid-century.  The loose brushstrokes and color palette are characteristic of this influence.  This painting also reflects Inness’s growing religious devotion to the connections between nature and the spiritual world.