St. Annes, East Canada

In St. Annes, East Canada, Robert S. Duncanson captures the golden beauty of a woodland stream in autumn. The painting immerses viewers in the tranquility of nature, with a gentle river flowing over smooth rocks and flanked by dense, brilliantly colored foliage. The rich reds, oranges, and greens of the trees reflect the vibrant season, while a pair of tiny human figures in the background add a sense of scale to the majestic landscape. Bathed in warm light and rendered with delicate brushwork, the scene reflects Duncanson’s romantic vision of nature—untouched, idyllic, and full of life. Painted in 1855, it stands as a testament to his skill as one of the most important African American landscape painters of the 19th century.