Regarded as the leader of the White Mountain School, Samuel Lancaster Gerry incited scores of artists to paint New Hampshire’s rustic scenery in the nineteenth century. Born in Boston, Gerry traveled through Europe in the 1830s and absorbed its art and landscapes. He returned home in 1840, established a studio in Boston, and made frequent painting trips to New Hampshire’s White Mountains. It was there that Gerry produced his most influential work, which formed the basis of the White Mountain School. This painting depicts the Appalachian Mountains of the American South. Although Gerry never received formal training, he drew upon the styles and techniques of Thomas Cole and Asher B. Durand.