From Farm and Field

Edward Lange’s paintings of farms, rolling hills, and pastoral vignettes cast the hinterland of Long Island’s North Shore as bucolic and picturesque. At first, these golden fields might seem distanced from any hint of industry. A closer look, however, reveals that signs of innovation abounded. In the name of increased productivity, Long Islanders were keen to adopt new technology of the mid-nineteenth century, like the sickle bar mower and windmill water pump. Even where rural countryside persisted, Lange's subtle clues demonstrate that industrialization had already taken root.