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Jasper Francis Cropsey (American, 1823 - 1900)
Eagle Cliff, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, 1858 |
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What do you notice that was not in Cole's painting? What are some signs that this is a more developed place? What is the role of people here, and who are they? This is still the American wilderness, but it is now a land Americans are proud to own because they have begun to tame it, change it and use it.
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Albert Bierstadt (American, 1830 - 1902)
Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite, 1871–73 |
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Bierstadt was one of the first pioneering artists to go west in search of new scenes to paint. The mountains were far more lofty and dramatic than any in the eastern United States. This scene shows a recognizable site, a waterfall in Yosemite National Park in California. It is named Bridal Veil Falls because, when the wind blows the water, it appears as a delicate curtain, like a bride's veil.
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Winslow Homer (American, 1836 - 1910)
Weaning the Calf, 1875 |
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In this painting by Winslow Homer, quite different from the work of Cole and Bierstadt, the landscape is more a setting for human life than a scene of nature's untamed glory. The boy struggling to hold the calf away from its mother, to wean the young animal, is in the shadow. The cow in the background is in brilliant sunlight. If you look closely at the rope, you may be able to see it is frayed. This painting represents the human struggle to tame nature, depicted here as a domestic animal.
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Thomas Hart Benton
Spring on the Missouri
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Thomas Cole
Romantic Landscape
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Jasper Francis Cropsey
Eagle Cliff, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire
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John George Brown
A Tough Story
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Winslow Homer
Weaning the Calf
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Focus Works of Art
Romantic Landscape
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Thomas Cole
(American, 1801 - 1848)
Romantic Landscape,
1826 |
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THE AMERICAN LAND
What kind of place is this? What kind of land? How would you feel if you woke up and found yourself here? People often describe this view as "wild" or "rugged." Some people have called it "beautiful," others "frightening." All those words apply, but how you respond to the scene may depend on how comfortable you are in a wilderness. It is beautiful, but it can be terrifying.
Thomas Cole was the leader of the Hudson River School, named after the Hudson River region of New York State, which we recognize as creating the first American style of painting. Cole found nature awe inspiring: he interpreted it as reflecting the hand of God and was therefore reverential toward the wilderness. If you look closely at the upper left corner, above the mountain peak, you may be able to see faintly painted rays of light that give the scene a spiritual feeling.
How does Cole create his view of a majestic American wilderness? An essential ingredient is the distant mountain peak. It rises high above the horizon, far back in the distance. Look at the sky. In addition to the rays of light at the left, most of the sky is dominated by dark clouds that make the scene dramatic. One other trick Cole often used was to place a dead tree in the foreground, close to the viewer's point of view. The dead tree adds to the wild sensation of the scene. It is a reminder that nature holds the promise of both life and death.
One last and important symbolic presence in the scene is that of humanity. Where are the people? How much do they occupy this land? And what kind of people are they? You may not have noticed them at first because their presence is so small compared to the whole scene. And they are American Indians, the first inhabitants of the New York and New England wilderness already being developed by European Americans in Cole's time. Their presence confirms this is an America landscape, different from the European scenes that were Cole's first models. Cole's vision of the pure American vista has been called an American Garden of Eden, unspoiled and perfect.
Click here to view a related video produced in association with the North Carolina School of Science and Math's Learn More - Teach More Project. (RealPlayer is required to view this video file.)
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Below are suggestions for using the Focus Work of Art with students in the classroom. The activity and discussion ideas are listed in order of difficulty. The activity instructions and italicized discussion questions may be presented directly to students. The icons below each suggestion note the related subject area(s). Click on each icon to determine which subject area it represents. Browse the thematic Lesson Plans for more ideas on how to use this work of art and theme in the classroom. |
- From a Distant Land
Learn about the Transcontinental Railroad. Consider how this modern invention changed our view of the American West. Imagine you are a Hudson River painter traveling west on the railroad. Write a letter back home that details what you see from your window and the impact the landscape has on you. Before you begin, think about what landscapes meant to this special group of painters.
  
- Artistic Pairs
Choose a poem or essay by an American writer to accompany each of these artworks. Your pairings should share a common time period, subject or style. You may also create your own.
- Thomas Cole: Artist and Writer
Compare Thomas Cole's Essay on American Scenery with his painting Romantic Landscape. How do these works share a common language? Which do you consider to be more powerful? How do both idealize nature? How do you think Cole's upbringing in northwestern England affected his view of the American landscape? Click here for more information on Cole.
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