On a ridge overlooking the Hudson River, artist Frederic Church composed his last, and perhaps grandest, work: a home and grounds for his family. He purchased the land above his first home, “Cosy Cottage,” before his trip to the Middle East and Europe. “I have just purchased the woodlot on the top of the hill. I want to secure if possible before I leave every rood [measure] of ground that I shall ever require to make my farm perfect.” Church’s vision was ambitious; not only did he want to expand his working farm, Church set out to create a foreground for the magnificent scenery in the distance—linking together a series of vistas with landscaped carriage roads. Church had formerly served as the park commissioner of Central Park and was fascinated with the possibilities of creating beautiful landscapes, working with the beauty already present in the natural world.
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