The History of American Landscape Painting 1
The History of American Landscape Painting
Hayleigh Weldin
California State University, Bakersfield
Landscape paintings became of interest to artists as a way to depict nature, a man?s spiritual place in the world, and his relation to God (Pohl, 2012). The paintings of nature became a way for artists to express themselves visually and spiritually while also expanding what people could see, read, and feel (Pohl, 2012). Landscape paintings helped to grow communities and expand the western movement (Pohl, 2012). There was an issue between tearing down and using the resources of nature to build communities and to increase material wealth (Pohl, 2012).
Angela Miller examined landscape
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It appeared that Asher B. Durand who was the president of the National Academy of Design would be a reasonable choice to follow in Cole's footsteps; however, this did not happen (Pohl, 2012). Asher B. Durand was a prominent landscape artist on the East Coast who began his career as an engraver in the 1830s before making a change to painting landscapes (Pohl, 2012). In 1849 after the death of Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand created a painting called, The Kindred Spirits depicting Cole with his friend William Collin Bryant (Lewis, 2002). The backdrop for the painting showed two of Cole's favorite sceneries, Kaaterskill Falls and Catskill Clove (Lewis, 2002). The painting, The Kindred Spirits, was viewed as the beginning work of "American Sublime" (Lewis, 2002). Thomas Cole had a shining artist following in his tracks by the name of Frederic Edwin Church (Miller, 1993). Church became Thomas Cole's student in 1844 and was known to be the only one who studied under his direction (Pohl, 2012). Church in his landscape painting depicted nature transformed by civilization (Pohl, 2012). Church and other artists who had followed Cole had a lot of pressure on themselves to maintain the high praise and dignity that Cole had gained on landscape art while still pursuing a national voice and changing the way people viewed landscape art and what it meant to …show more content…
The paintings reflected a light, which produced a radiance being dubbed "luminists" in 1954 by art historian John I. H. Baur (Pohl, 2012). The "luminists" landscape artists were: Fitz Hugh Lane (1804-65), John Frederick Kensett (1816-72), and Martin Johnson Head (1819-1904) (Pohl, 2012). According to Pohl (2012), in Lane's, The Western Shore with Norman's Woe of 1862, Kensett's Beacon Rock, Newport Harbor of 1857, and the Heade's Thunder Storm on Narragansett Bay of 1868, "one senses not the bravura of a nation whose future lies to the west, but the reflectiveness of a nation whose past lies to the east and whose future is not yet resolved" (p. 161). The qualities of "luminist" painters were differentiated from the "pastoral, allegorical, and sublime landscapes" of Church, Cole and numerous artists (Pohl, 2012). According to Pohl (2012), a literary scholar named David C. Miller wrote, "the impersonality of many luminists paintings derives from the simplification and abstraction of forms and in evenness of the treatment of the entire composition that verges on a democratization of the picture plane" (p.161-62). Head's painting, Thunder Storm, reflected a nervousness and awkward silence that showed a blending with nature (Pohl, 2012). The symbolism that "luminists" artists
Thomas would be in the category of romantic art for the theme of his artwork. He has based it on the beauty of nature and the fact that most of his major works were done in the period that romanticism took place, most of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Thomas Moran had attended the Hudson Valley River School, where many landscape artists had attended, too. He painted the Hudson Valley with the attraction, beauty, and scenery of the valley.(www.ency). He also was attracted to the awesomely romantic images of American wilderness and the open west, where he did most of his paintings. (www.art) Thomas was fascinated with Yellowstone and wanting to be associated with it painted the wilderness and scenery of it. (Vol.15) With the paintings he had done of Yellowstone Congress was fascinated with them, that they bought The Chasm and The Grand Canon of the Yellowstone Thomas had painted.
In the era where Thomas Cole first established the Hudson River School, other artist that is not from the United State such as John Constable, has the same taste in nature and outdoors. John Constable who is from England, created many painting from the surrounding area from his backyard to the countryside. For Cole’s painting, his work of art has been throughout the Hudson River, therefore, his painting consist of vast amount of forest, river, and mountains. He also travels in many locations in America and even done some painting in Europe. Both painter love nature, for this example, landscape will be the primary focus.
Beginning his career as an artist early in life, Turners father provided his young son his first exhibition space, hanging and selling Turners works in the family Barbershop. Turners’ early experiences in art were limited and largely self-taught until entering the Royal Academy Schools in 1789 at the age of 14. From 1790 onwards Turner was heavily influences by architectural draftsman and teacher of perspective, Thomas Malton, a man Turner described as his ‘real master.’ The influence of Malton is clear in Turners superb architectural renderings that frequent his landscapes, being praised by the London Times of the 3rd of May 1797 for his ‘exquisite architectural views. ’
This group was formed by American landscape painters who were present from 1825 to 1880. Their work constituted of interest in realistic illustration of nature and a fascination to celebrate precisely the American scenery. Until its emergence, most artists seemed more interested in making portraits than painting murals. Those who did landscapes generally always turned to Europe for guidance on subject matter and skills. Subjects similar to the other side of the Atlantic appear on their canvases mostly compared to American scenes, such as Norman castles, Greek and Roman ruins. In addition, much of the paintings done prior to the emanation of the Hudson River Schoolwereemblematic and therefore not necessarily intended to emblematize a real place. The school combines elements of romanticism and the art of Nationalism. Its Romantic nature provides an alternative framework through which to view and appreciate the nature in the world.
This set off the movement of idealization and using the body as a performance of masculinity. Another painting by Eakins, Frank Hamilton Cushing (1895), emblematized that the West is a place for reinvention. Frank Hamilton Cushing was one of the first American anthropologist to observe and chronicle the lives of Native Americans.
Art can mean many different things to many different people and was one of the earliest ways in which man has expressed him or herself to others, whether it was through cave drawings or hieroglyphics. It does not begin or end with just drawing or painting, items typically considered art, or the many other recognized facets of art including architecture, drama, literature, sculpting, and music. My research is based on Vincent van Gogh art, and two art paintings that I choose to study is The Starry Night, 1889, and the second art is The Sower 1888. Vincent van Gogh’s is known for Impressionism, that occurs to us in these times, much more to affirm close links with tradition, and to represent
The first work of art that I will be examining is Thomas Cole’s View of Mount Holyoke, which is more commonly referred to as The Oxbow. The shortened title is a reference to the shape of the river, which is the central focus of this work. This work is a depiction of the view of Mount Holyoke, which was a tourist attraction, as a thunderstorm retreats into the distance. Cole makes a calculated decision to eliminate a hotel that was located just to the right or the viewer’s perspective and replace it with lush greenery and trees. Cole also makes the decision to physically divide the painting with a diagonal line across the middle, with developed America being represented on one side and undeveloped American being represented on the other. The
I chose the two paintings, The Rocky Mountains, Lander’s Peak by Albert Bierstadt and Trail Riders by Thomas Hart Benton. The first painting was released in 1863, after the artist took a journey through the American west in the 1850’s. It’s easy to assume his inspiration was based off of what he saw on his trip (The Rocky Mountains, Lander’s Peak). I believe he just wanted to share the beauty of what he saw and this was a way he was good at and knew how to do. Trail Riders was a painting released in 1964/65. Thomas Hart Benton was a Midwesterner (Thomas Hart Benton Trail Riders). So even though there is no actual proof, I assume his painting is based off of his home and what he’s seen.
Frederic Edwin Church was clearly an epic and defining figure among the Hudson River School painters, particularly in his collaborative efforts in developing a sense of national identity for America, but also in fostering tourism through landscape painting, political influence, and entrepreneurialism. By answering the national call for artists and writers to define American landscape, Church took the first steps towards becoming, not only one of America’s greatest painters, but also a successful entrepreneur when it came to selling his own work to make a living. Church was dedicated to preserving “scientific accuracy” in his interpretations of nature and beauty, which were stimulated by the scientific writings of geographer and explorer Alexander von Humboldt.1
“Dance is movement aware of itself. Dance is purposeful movement that employs artful communication to express ideas and feelings, meaning that aesthetic intention is present” (Cornett, 2014, p 394). Art could be anywhere and anything it just needs to have creativity in order to make it unique and beautiful. One simple art form, could speak for a thousand words and convey many significant messages such as the art form of dance. Baile Folklorico is a great example of communicating in a unique and a stunning art form. Baile Folklorico is a folk dance that elaborates different dances, music and costumes to represent a Latin or Mexican culture.
Kleiner, Tansey. Gardner’s Art Through The Ages Tenth Edition II Renaissance And Modern Art. Florida: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1996
For my career opportunity project, I have chosen to take a look at the profession
...d landscape materials in the galleries. Some of the large land art works can only be accurately enjoyed from some height by a plane or so. According to opponents, an art work should be open for every class of society. As viewing a large land art piece from the air is beyond the reach of poor person. But photographs are the best option to represent the huge and unreachable land artworks.
Throughout the ages art has played a crucial role in life. Art is universal and because art is everywhere, we experience it on a daily basis. From the houses we live in (architecture) to the movies we see (theatre) to the books that we read (literature). Even in ancient culture art has played a crucial role. In prehistoric times cave dwellers drew on the wall of caves to record history. In biblical times paintings recorded the life and death of Christ. Throughout time art has recorded history. Most art is created for a specific reason or purpose, it has a way of expressing ideas and beliefs, and it can record the experiences of all people.
Several authors have based some of their writings on their spirituality. Some of these writings are as intricate as the Bible or as basic as an article in a local newspaper, but the meaning and passion behind them should never be doubted. In Leslie Marmon Silko's "Landscape, History, and the Pueblo Imagination", she expresses how her people have a very different meaning of "landscape". To Silko's people, the popular definition of landscape as being "a portion of territory the eye can comprehend in a single view" makes it seem as though the viewer is on the outside looking in. To them, the term landscape is much more than that. One cannot leave their surroundings, the earth and nature are always around us and we are always interconnected. The ancie...