Olivia
Among the first of America’s accomplished painters to refuse European training, William Sidney Mount was a patriot, enlivened by his country’s cause (Doezma). By declining this formalized education, Mount cemented his status as a champion of the middle class (Doezma). Viewing the United States as the land of equality, Mount infused his artwork with a reformist attitude, anticipating the beauty of an egalitarian society (Doezma). Although the artist adopts a stylistically pedestrian façade in his work, the modern subject matter brings the question of democratic principles to the forefront of his pieces (Doezma). Mount painted for the people, the middle class, and thus his accessible compositions draw his target audience into America’s artistic sphere (Miller).
In The Painter’s Triumph, Mount includes a farmer and a painter side by side, both in raptures at an artwork. The dichotomies of this piece demonstrate Mount’s eagerness to envision the composite structure of American society (Miller). Believing in the potential to reconcile these opposing forces and create a balanced and ordered society, Mount’s works exude optimism. Alluding to the fusion of the past and the future, rural and urban locales, and wealth and poverty, the artist constructs a commentary on the uniqueness of American society (Miller).
The two subjects, a painter and a farmer, embody varying levels of the traditional social order. The majority of America consisted of agricultural farmers. But the fine condition of the subject’s clothing implies his wealth, perhaps signifying a successful yeoman (Doezema). Although the painter, garbed in sleek, refined attire, traditionally connotes an air of importance, the sparse walls and meager décor of his studio contradict the assumption of high social standing. Both men stand on equal footing, capable of commenting on a work in a new, reformed fashion. Elite and popular culture have been fused together.
This concept is furthered as Mount suggests a meeting point between rural and urban society. In a time when industrialization had begun to transform the landscape of the western world, Mount himself was torn between his rural Long Island origin and his residence in the city (Doezema). Although never capable of harmonizing these simultaneous loves in his personal life, the artist did so via his work, weaving both bucolic and metropolitan elements together as one (Doezema). The whip and the painter’s palette are both clasped in a likewise manner, making them both distinctive and unifying characteristics.
Finally, the artist presents the ultimate obstacle to American camaraderie: the past versus the future. In the aftermath of the revolution, many saw their rich British heritage as a vital ingredient, one that could not simply be forgotten. Yet others attempted to discard the past, believing the promise of tomorrow would define America’s future. Including the ancient image of Apollo in parallel to the fresh canvas of the painter, Mount emphasizes the importance of both the past and the future on American art (Doezema).
The concept of equality, an idea that profoundly impacted the foundation of the American nation, acutely shaped William Sidney Mount’s artwork. Influenced by his desire for a balanced society, the painter’s work suggests America’s potential. The Painter’s Triumph visualizes rich culture as the product of such accord. The opposing forces that have caused such conflict in the past can be amalgamated, forming a fresh, bright, and exciting union of hope.
Works Cited
Miller, Angela, et al. American Encounters: Art, History, and Cultural Identity. London: Prentice Hall, 2008. 194 – 195.
Doezema, Marianne and Elizabeth Milroy. Reading American Art. Michigan: Yale University Press, 1998. 128 – 146.
Images Cited
“William Sidney Mount.” 19 February 2012. Wikipedia. 29 October 2012.
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:William_Sidney_Mount_002.jpg>.
Among the first of America’s accomplished painters to refuse European training, William Sidney Mount was a patriot, enlivened by his country’s cause (Doezma). By declining this formalized education, Mount cemented his status as a champion of the middle class (Doezma). Viewing the United States as the land of equality, Mount infused his artwork with a reformist attitude, anticipating the beauty of an egalitarian society (Doezma). Although the artist adopts a stylistically pedestrian façade in his work, the modern subject matter brings the question of democratic principles to the forefront of his pieces (Doezma). Mount painted for the people, the middle class, and thus his accessible compositions draw his target audience into America’s artistic sphere (Miller).
In The Painter’s Triumph, Mount includes a farmer and a painter side by side, both in raptures at an artwork. The dichotomies of this piece demonstrate Mount’s eagerness to envision the composite structure of American society (Miller). Believing in the potential to reconcile these opposing forces and create a balanced and ordered society, Mount’s works exude optimism. Alluding to the fusion of the past and the future, rural and urban locales, and wealth and poverty, the artist constructs a commentary on the uniqueness of American society (Miller).
The two subjects, a painter and a farmer, embody varying levels of the traditional social order. The majority of America consisted of agricultural farmers. But the fine condition of the subject’s clothing implies his wealth, perhaps signifying a successful yeoman (Doezema). Although the painter, garbed in sleek, refined attire, traditionally connotes an air of importance, the sparse walls and meager décor of his studio contradict the assumption of high social standing. Both men stand on equal footing, capable of commenting on a work in a new, reformed fashion. Elite and popular culture have been fused together.
This concept is furthered as Mount suggests a meeting point between rural and urban society. In a time when industrialization had begun to transform the landscape of the western world, Mount himself was torn between his rural Long Island origin and his residence in the city (Doezema). Although never capable of harmonizing these simultaneous loves in his personal life, the artist did so via his work, weaving both bucolic and metropolitan elements together as one (Doezema). The whip and the painter’s palette are both clasped in a likewise manner, making them both distinctive and unifying characteristics.
Finally, the artist presents the ultimate obstacle to American camaraderie: the past versus the future. In the aftermath of the revolution, many saw their rich British heritage as a vital ingredient, one that could not simply be forgotten. Yet others attempted to discard the past, believing the promise of tomorrow would define America’s future. Including the ancient image of Apollo in parallel to the fresh canvas of the painter, Mount emphasizes the importance of both the past and the future on American art (Doezema).
The concept of equality, an idea that profoundly impacted the foundation of the American nation, acutely shaped William Sidney Mount’s artwork. Influenced by his desire for a balanced society, the painter’s work suggests America’s potential. The Painter’s Triumph visualizes rich culture as the product of such accord. The opposing forces that have caused such conflict in the past can be amalgamated, forming a fresh, bright, and exciting union of hope.
Works Cited
Miller, Angela, et al. American Encounters: Art, History, and Cultural Identity. London: Prentice Hall, 2008. 194 – 195.
Doezema, Marianne and Elizabeth Milroy. Reading American Art. Michigan: Yale University Press, 1998. 128 – 146.
Images Cited
“William Sidney Mount.” 19 February 2012. Wikipedia. 29 October 2012.
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:William_Sidney_Mount_002.jpg>.