The Bridge, Peterson by LeConte Stewart

LeConte Stewart (American, 1891–1990)
The Bridge, Peterson
Oil on canvas
29⅜ × 23⅜ in.

In The Bridge, Peterson, LeConte Stewart captures a quiet rural crossing bathed in autumn light. Golden foliage fills the composition, its broken, mosaic-like brushwork animating the trees and riverbank while guiding the eye toward the modest wooden bridge at center. The scene conveys stillness and familiarity, transforming an ordinary structure into a moment of contemplative harmony between human presence and the natural world.

LeConte Stewart was a central figure in Utah art of the 20th century and a founding member of the Utah Impressionist school. Trained at the Art Institute of Chicago and later a longtime professor at the University of Utah, Stewart devoted much of his career to painting the landscapes and communities of northern Utah. His work is distinguished by luminous color, expressive surface, and an abiding commitment to place. The Bridge, Peterson reflects Stewart’s belief that beauty and meaning could be found in the everyday settings of rural life, rendered with sensitivity, structure, and quiet reverence.