| Prior to 1825, the landscape as art was seen as | | | | eye for drawing in the world." |
| nothing more than the background for the subject of | | | | In 1848, Church was the youngest painter ever to be |
| the piece. With the exception of property owners | | | | elected to the National Academy of Design and was |
| commissioning artists to paint topographical | | | | the first American artist to ever use his talent on |
| illustrations of there farms and communities or | | | | location in South Africa. |
| landmarks, or for Europeans who had a keen interest | | | | The works of the American Landscape movement |
| in the developing New World, the landscape as muse | | | | were often as vast in size as the stunning and |
| was not a consideration. | | | | rugged countryside they depicted. One such piece, |
| It was American, Thomas Cole, who became one of | | | | produced by Frederic Church in 1846, "Hooker and |
| the most prominent of the American Landscape | | | | Company Journeying Through the Wilderness From |
| movement when he established the Hudson River | | | | Plymouth to Hartford", measured over five feet in |
| School in 1825. The group was so named for their | | | | width. The piece does depict the early settlers on |
| paintings that depicted the Hudson River Valley and | | | | their quest, however they far from play a leading |
| its surrounding areas including the Catskill, Adirondack | | | | role in the painting. The towering trees, the grand |
| and White Mountains. | | | | rocky cliff and the river winding its way towards a |
| Thomas Cole and fellow artist, Asher B. Durand, held | | | | vast, mountainous horizon are the main points of the |
| the strong belief that the study and painting of | | | | work. While the portrayal of the settlers is an |
| nature and her wonderful offerings would lead the | | | | important component to the work, it is the power of |
| artist to enlightenment and to a true connection to | | | | the landscape that dominates the piece. |
| the divine. | | | | Artists such as these made the movement an |
| The beginning of the American Landscape era came | | | | integral part of not just art history, but America's as |
| at a time when the country was grasping for her | | | | well. These great painters produced work that |
| identity, a time when she was establishing her | | | | convinced an era that nature could be viewed as so |
| independence from European influence and stretching | | | | much more than just background and could stand |
| her limbs towards progress and growth. As new | | | | alone as subject. The power of the movement was |
| country continued to be settled, the second | | | | strong and its influence spilled over into other styles |
| generation of the Hudson River group would share | | | | of painting including expressionism and surrealism. |
| this growth, expanding to include vast landscapes | | | | The great American Landscape artists did so much |
| that went beyond the Hudson River area influence. | | | | more than bring nature to the forefront; they |
| A student to Thomas Cole, Frederic Church had | | | | actually helped to shape a new and developing |
| mastered his skill for landscape works at an early | | | | country's identity. |
| age. He was touted by Cole as having, "...the finest | | | | |