A view of the dramatic steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in northeastern New Jersey called the Palisades. A steamboat filled with passengers passes parallel to the banks of the cliffs. Small sailing vessels also dot the river near the bank. The print comes from the Hudson River Portfolio, a masterpiece of American printmaking produced through the collaboration of artists, a writer, and publishers. The images were taken from a series of watercolors produced by Irish-born William Guy Wall after he spent the summer of 1820 touring and sketching along the Hudson. The popularity of the Portfolio contributed to new interest and appreciation of the American landscape that peaked with the Hudson River School.
