Little Village

Carl William Peters loved to paint snow scenes because of the delicate effects of light on the frozen, white landscape. He never traveled far from his home in Fairport, New York, and this image probably shows a view of a town close to his studio. The bright sunshine suggests a cheerful scene of people walking along the snow-covered sidewalks. But Peters did not beautify the small rickety houses, which look like they would struggle to keep their occupants warm. In this way, he captured both the charm and the hardships of an older America that still existed in small country villages.