Artwork Description

Joseph Meeker – Fishing on Scajaquada Creek

Artist: Joseph Meeker (American, 1827-1887)
Title: Fishing on Scajaquada Creek
Date: April (19)81
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: Sight 23 5/8 x 17.5 in; Frame 33 3/4 x 27 3/4 in
Signature: Signed lower right
Provenance: The Chicago Art Auction, December 9th, 2007, Lot 233
Condition Report: Overall good condition. The canvas has been relined, with some minor craquelure in the sky and small areas of inpainting, particularly in the sky and stream.

This evocative landscape by Joseph Meeker captures a tranquil moment along Scajaquada Creek in Erie County, New York. The composition features two figures fishing by the water’s edge, surrounded by towering trees and rolling foliage. A cascading waterfall and a rustic mill house in the background add depth and historical charm to the scene. Meeker’s attention to light and atmospheric perspective imbues the work with a sense of serenity, reflecting his mastery of the Hudson River School’s romantic landscape tradition.

About the Artist:
Joseph Meeker (1827-1887) was an American landscape painter best known for his depictions of the Louisiana bayous and tranquil natural scenes. Born in New Jersey, he studied at the National Academy of Design before establishing his career in Buffalo, New York, and later in Kentucky. Meeker’s work, influenced by the Hudson River School, was widely exhibited and remains in notable museum collections, including the Brooklyn Museum, St. Louis Art Museum, and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.