William Guy Wall

William Guy Wall (1792–1864) was a Dublin-born painter who became one of the defining chroniclers of the American landscape. Arriving in New York in 1812 already trained, he made his name with watercolor views of the Hudson River Valley, rendered with a clear, unromanticized directness rather than idealized grandeur. Many of these were engraved by John Hill and his son John William Hill for the Hudson River Portfolio (1821–1825), a landmark publication that introduced Americans to the scenic riches of their own country.