Pencil on paper. 9 3/4 x 19 in. Black Mountain, Lake George depicts a traveler resting on the bank of Lake George, perhaps after a day of canoeing. The lake separates Black Mountain from the Adirondacks, and David Johnson pays homage to the unique geography. The archetype of the traveler was prominent in the works of Hudson River School artists, as immersing oneself within the natural landscape and traveling to places that could evoke wonder and sentimentality in order to find subjects for paintings were highly common. This drawing is no exception: the simple lines communicate a sense of pleasant weariness and harken the well-known idyllic beauty of the area. Starting in the 1860s, the artist began using lake scenes as a compositional format – sometimes embellishing the scene in front of him with elements borrowed from other landscapes. However, Black Mountain, Lake George, remains a loyal depiction of the vista, as well as a record of the artist’s travels.