Olivia
Thomas Cole rose into the artistic arena of the early 19th century exhibiting one of the first quintessentially American styles, the portrayal of the New World’s landscape. Cole reveled in the beauty of his native homeland, reportedly enjoying rural scenery and country strolls. After relocating to Pennsylvania with his family as a young adult, Cole ultimately traveled amidst the backcountry of his new state, roaming as far west as Ohio. The artist immortalized his excursion with his first ventures into the world of landscape painting. Recognizing, like many of the great landscape artists, the purity of America’s unaltered countryside, distinct from Europe’s transformed terrain, Cole brought to light the merit in natural subjects. Overflowing with artistic ambition upon his return, Cole was drawn to America’s focal point for creativity, New York. There, Cole came in contact with the avant-garde styles of the artistic elite, and was thus able to solidify his position as a “great” of American landscape painting.
After traveling to the Hudson River Valley for a summer sojourn, Thomas Cole produced a range of works, inspired by the scenery, that won him great acclaim. Amongst these works was Sunny Morning on the Hudson River, painted in 1827, featuring the reverent peace that pervades in the aftermath of a storm. The panorama embraces three distinct geological features, the outcropping of the foreground balancing a haggled tree, the treacherous peaks of the middle ground, and the fertile river valley of the distant background. The rough, nearly jagged topographies imply the sheer power of nature, a theme that pervades works of the Romantics. Although the remnants of an earlier storm remain, a vibrant blue sky is revealed, promising a bright and hopeful future. As the optimistic title implies, the departing clouds promise a sunny day.
After achieving the distinction he had sought when moving to New York, Cole proceeded onward, traveling to Europe in pursuit of the great paintings of the past. After developing an easy familiarity with artistic styles in England, Cole absorbed the marvels of Europe in France and Italy. Specifically drawn to the landscapes of the Rhine, Volterra, Florence, and Rome, Cole was fascinated by the intersection of ancient ruins and the natural environment. In response to the breadth of scenery Europe had to offer, the artist produced a series of imaginary landscapes, The Course of Empire, in 1835. Intended to demonstrate the progression of mankind, the works mimic humans’ evolution toward a “civilized state” then predict a return to nature. Composed of five landscapes, featuring the same terrain, the series emphasizes human impact on the land. Cole utilizes the light to demonstrate the progression of time, the light rising and fading as the sun would move across the sky in a day. His final piece, greatly inspired by the ruins of Europe, sees the corrosion and deterioration of civilization. The natural state of the valley, no longer home to the society previously depicted, remains intact as a symbol of the impermanence of man and the longevity of the land. This conclusion is glorified by the serenity that oozes from the work, the soft light of the moon reflected on the still water.
Returning to America, Thomas Cole wove his newfound awareness into his pieces. His landscapes slowly evolved as the artist began to incorporate humans into his works. The Oxbow, conjured in 1836, is, according to some, Cole’s most notable landscape. Envisioning the Hudson River Valley, specifically an area in close proximity to Northampton, Massachusetts, in the aftermath of a storm, the landscape painter loads his work with a range of powerful sentiments. Cole juxtaposes the harsh, brute force of nature with the sunny tranquility of the civilization in the valley. In this piece, the artist struggles with the ability of humans to coexist with nature. He realizes a middle ground that finds beauty in the harmony of man and his environment. This work hints at the arising philosophical beliefs of transcendentalism, a concept proposes that the influences of society ultimately corrupt humanity. Like transcendentalists, Cole urges his viewer’s respect of a traditional lifestyle, one that embraces the environment as one’s natural habitat.
Although Cole passed away in 1848, when just 47, he left a powerful mark on the artistic world. Appreciating the beauty and strength of the American landscape, Cole’s passion for nature facilitated the commencement of a revolutionary subject matter. Discarding of traditional subject matter, Cole diverted attention toward the beauty of nature. His profoundly influential pieces, and his work shaping the Hudson River School, paved the way for Romanticism in America. Thus, a glorified period of American art followed on Thomas Cole’s coattails.
Works Cited
Wilmerding, John. American Art. Kingsport: Penguin Books, 1976. 78 – 82.
Images Cited
“Thomas Cole.” 11 June 2005. Wikipedia. 20 November 2012.
< http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiedosto:Cole_Thomas_Sunny_Morning_on_the_Hudson_River_1827.jpg>
“The Oxbow.” 11 June 2005. Wikipedia. 20 November 2012.
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cole_Thomas_The_Oxbow_(The_Connecticut_River_near_Northampton_1836.jpg>.
“The Course of Empire.” 11 June 2005. Wikipedia. 20 November 2012.
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Course_of_Empire>.
Thomas Cole rose into the artistic arena of the early 19th century exhibiting one of the first quintessentially American styles, the portrayal of the New World’s landscape. Cole reveled in the beauty of his native homeland, reportedly enjoying rural scenery and country strolls. After relocating to Pennsylvania with his family as a young adult, Cole ultimately traveled amidst the backcountry of his new state, roaming as far west as Ohio. The artist immortalized his excursion with his first ventures into the world of landscape painting. Recognizing, like many of the great landscape artists, the purity of America’s unaltered countryside, distinct from Europe’s transformed terrain, Cole brought to light the merit in natural subjects. Overflowing with artistic ambition upon his return, Cole was drawn to America’s focal point for creativity, New York. There, Cole came in contact with the avant-garde styles of the artistic elite, and was thus able to solidify his position as a “great” of American landscape painting.
After traveling to the Hudson River Valley for a summer sojourn, Thomas Cole produced a range of works, inspired by the scenery, that won him great acclaim. Amongst these works was Sunny Morning on the Hudson River, painted in 1827, featuring the reverent peace that pervades in the aftermath of a storm. The panorama embraces three distinct geological features, the outcropping of the foreground balancing a haggled tree, the treacherous peaks of the middle ground, and the fertile river valley of the distant background. The rough, nearly jagged topographies imply the sheer power of nature, a theme that pervades works of the Romantics. Although the remnants of an earlier storm remain, a vibrant blue sky is revealed, promising a bright and hopeful future. As the optimistic title implies, the departing clouds promise a sunny day.
After achieving the distinction he had sought when moving to New York, Cole proceeded onward, traveling to Europe in pursuit of the great paintings of the past. After developing an easy familiarity with artistic styles in England, Cole absorbed the marvels of Europe in France and Italy. Specifically drawn to the landscapes of the Rhine, Volterra, Florence, and Rome, Cole was fascinated by the intersection of ancient ruins and the natural environment. In response to the breadth of scenery Europe had to offer, the artist produced a series of imaginary landscapes, The Course of Empire, in 1835. Intended to demonstrate the progression of mankind, the works mimic humans’ evolution toward a “civilized state” then predict a return to nature. Composed of five landscapes, featuring the same terrain, the series emphasizes human impact on the land. Cole utilizes the light to demonstrate the progression of time, the light rising and fading as the sun would move across the sky in a day. His final piece, greatly inspired by the ruins of Europe, sees the corrosion and deterioration of civilization. The natural state of the valley, no longer home to the society previously depicted, remains intact as a symbol of the impermanence of man and the longevity of the land. This conclusion is glorified by the serenity that oozes from the work, the soft light of the moon reflected on the still water.
Returning to America, Thomas Cole wove his newfound awareness into his pieces. His landscapes slowly evolved as the artist began to incorporate humans into his works. The Oxbow, conjured in 1836, is, according to some, Cole’s most notable landscape. Envisioning the Hudson River Valley, specifically an area in close proximity to Northampton, Massachusetts, in the aftermath of a storm, the landscape painter loads his work with a range of powerful sentiments. Cole juxtaposes the harsh, brute force of nature with the sunny tranquility of the civilization in the valley. In this piece, the artist struggles with the ability of humans to coexist with nature. He realizes a middle ground that finds beauty in the harmony of man and his environment. This work hints at the arising philosophical beliefs of transcendentalism, a concept proposes that the influences of society ultimately corrupt humanity. Like transcendentalists, Cole urges his viewer’s respect of a traditional lifestyle, one that embraces the environment as one’s natural habitat.
Although Cole passed away in 1848, when just 47, he left a powerful mark on the artistic world. Appreciating the beauty and strength of the American landscape, Cole’s passion for nature facilitated the commencement of a revolutionary subject matter. Discarding of traditional subject matter, Cole diverted attention toward the beauty of nature. His profoundly influential pieces, and his work shaping the Hudson River School, paved the way for Romanticism in America. Thus, a glorified period of American art followed on Thomas Cole’s coattails.
Works Cited
Wilmerding, John. American Art. Kingsport: Penguin Books, 1976. 78 – 82.
Images Cited
“Thomas Cole.” 11 June 2005. Wikipedia. 20 November 2012.
< http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiedosto:Cole_Thomas_Sunny_Morning_on_the_Hudson_River_1827.jpg>
“The Oxbow.” 11 June 2005. Wikipedia. 20 November 2012.
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cole_Thomas_The_Oxbow_(The_Connecticut_River_near_Northampton_1836.jpg>.
“The Course of Empire.” 11 June 2005. Wikipedia. 20 November 2012.
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Course_of_Empire>.