During the 19th century, as American cultural, political, and commercial life underwent tremendous development and change, opportunities for the creation, exhibition, and sale of works of art increased dramatically. Artists responded to these opportunities by producing ever greater numbers of works, making the 19th century one of the most vital periods in the history of American art. This is the first of two volumes of the systematic catalogue describing the 19th-century American paintings in the National Gallery of Art. It documents works by some of America’s most famous artists, including Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins, Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, Jasper F. Cropsey, John F. Kensett, George Inness, and Childe Hassam. Results from technical examinations by the scientific research department and new photography enrich this volume.