Provenance
Thomas B. Clarke, from the artist by 1891 (sale, American Art Galleries, American Art Association, New York [Clarke sale], February 14-18, 1899, no. 341); Emerson McMillin, New York, purchased at auction,1899, to 1911; M. Knoedler & Co., New York, 1911; Reinhardt Galleries, Chicago, 1911; sold to Edward B. Butler, Chicago, 1911; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1911.
Accession Number
64732
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
76.8 × 116.2 cm (30 1/4 × 45 3/4 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Edward B. Butler Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
George Inness's "Threatening" (1891) is an oil on canvas that captures the dramatic atmosphere of an approaching storm. The title announces the subject: the moment before the storm breaks, when the sky darkens, the wind rises, and the landscape seems to hold its breath in anticipation. Inness was a master of atmospheric effects, and this painting shows his ability to convey the mood of an impending storm with extraordinary power. The palette is dark and brooding, with deep grays, purples, and greens creating a sense of tension. The brushwork is loose and expressive, the forms of the landscape seeming to dissolve into the gathering darkness. The title "Threatening" captures both the meteorological and the psychological dimensions of the scene—the threat of the storm is also a metaphor for the darker aspects of human experience. This painting belongs to the final phase of Inness's career, when his style had achieved its maximum expressiveness and his spiritual vision was at its most intense.
Cultural Impact
Inness's storm scenes represent some of the most dramatic works of his career, demonstrating his ability to convey not just the appearance of nature but its emotional and spiritual power.
Why It Matters
This painting of an approaching storm captures the tension and drama of nature in its most threatening mood, the dark palette and expressive brushwork conveying the power of the elements with extraordinary force.
