Near Midnight, Labrador

William Bradford's Arctic seascapes relate to mid-19th-century America's interest in the scientific and economic exploration of the globe. Here, a sailing vessel has left port under the midnight sun, perhaps to pursue the pod of seals that frolic on the left. Critics praised Bradford for his ability to capture the cold, clear Arctic light, as he does in this work. Bradford's Arctic compositions often feature glaciers and icebergs that tower over human encampments and boats, emphasizing the harshness and danger of the environment.

Bradford, like his fellow artist-explorers Frederic Church, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Moran, produced paintings that both stimulated and helped satisfy Americans' curiosity about diverse geographic regions of the world. In addition to painting the Arctic, Bradford wrote a book about his experiences in the North and lectured about the region to audiences in England and America.