The Puff of Smoke

In The Puff of Smoke, Gifford Beal portrayed a view of the Hudson River at Newburgh, New York, concentrating on the scene’s urban elements. Several utility poles frame the panorama, while the titular puff of smoke billows up from below eye level. Although Beal did not depict the source of the steam, it is probably from a passing train connecting Newburgh with the major metropolitan areas of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The artist employed a cool, silvery palette to describe the crisp atmosphere of this cold day. He applied the paint with brisk, fluid brushwork, especially in the billowing cloud, which he rendered with a tactile, white impasto.