River Scene: Bathers and Cattle

In this painting, Wilson constructs a scene that calls to mind the landscape of Italy. Individual features are based on actual observations made during the artist's travels—the ruined monument that rises from the bluffs is the Temple of Minerva Medica in Rome. By removing the ruin from its contemporary urban setting, Wilson creates an image that is meant to evoke the classical past rather than serve as a portrait of a place. In this way, he seeks to raise his status beyond that of landscape painter toward the rarified position of history painter.