Walter Launt Palmer, as the son of Albany sculptor Erastus Dow Palmer, studied with master painters in the U.S. and Paris. He painted interior scenes, views of Venice, and landscapes that include his well-known winter scenes. Keeping with the contemporary trends, his style was more fluid and less precise than that of his father's generation. This work depicts the snow-covered carriageway to the estate of renowned painter Frederic Church. Palmer was praised for his ability to portray snow scenes such as this one which required subtle contrasts in the "colors" of the snow.