East Hampton, Long Island, home to Thomas Moran and his wife Mary Nimmo Moran (1847–1899), provided both artists with a variety of subjects to portray.¹ The rustic charms of East Hampton and its quaint nooks and crannies inspired Moran to produce images such as An Apple Orchard — East Hampton, L.I. (14.423), and Nimmo Moran to create Under the Oaks — Georgica Pond (14.123a). It was a simple, rural life, but one the fierce storms blowing in from the Atlantic could disrupt. Turbulent weather could be a subject, providing an energizing challenge for both artists, as seen in Nimmo Moran’s In the Sandhills (14.85j) and here in Moran’s Long Island Landscape.

In this etching, Moran used strong contrasts to highlight the storm clouds as they build over the tree line. The abrupt juxtaposition of light and dark in the landscape conveys the notion of the clouds racing across the sun, casting some areas into deep shadow and illuminating others in brilliant sunlight. Reinforcing the idea of the wind picking up, the marsh grasses in the foreground appear to quiver in anticipation, as suggested by Moran’s use of bold, undulating lines thrusting upward. Moran was an astute observer of nature, even in its smallest details. Moreover, although he lived a quiet life when in residence on Long Island, he did not sit idle, as the forces of nature could provide the motivation to create exciting new imagery.

—Sandra Pauly 2021, Henry Luce Foundation Curatorial Scholar for Moran Collection Research, 2021

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¹ Morand and Friese, Prints of Nature, 7. The Morans began visiting East Hampton, Long Island, in 1878, and in 1883–84 built a home and studio on its Main Street.