Soon after arriving in England in 1856, Jasper Francis Cropsey felt a strong attraction to the island’s southern coast. He would move to the Isle of Wight in 1859 and settle there briefly. While Cropsey was renowned in England for autumnal scenes of his native North America, it was the rugged terrain of the Isle of Wight that inspired some of his finest work. Luccombe Chine, Isle of Wight is a particularly notable departure from the artist’s earlier subjects in terms of color and composition. The cooler colors of the English countryside and compact, orderly nature of this landscape affirm Cropsey’s departure from an American setting.