Thomas Cole Landscape, Composition, St. John in the Wilderness Dated: 1827
Description: The tiny figure of St. John stands next to a wooden cross atop a rock formation that extends out over the valley like an altar in a church. Seen from the side, the rock formation appears to have the profile of a face. Below St. John are figures of a man leading a horse with a woman riding it, evoking the Holy Family. On the right, across the valley, there is a slender waterfall. Clouds hang low in the valley and large mountain are visible amid the clouds in the background.