The Falls of Kaaterskill
“The Falls of Kaaterskill,” done by Thomas Cole in 1826, was a painting of Kaaterskill Falls, centralized with shafts of light illuminating a rocky ledge, and with a Native American standing in the shadows on top of an outcrop. The landscape feels timeless, bringing out the beauty of the scene. The artist chose allegoristic traits, such as the thundercloud looming over the row of pines along the horizon, which symbolized impending danger. The choice to include a Native American, even though indigenous people had already left the area at the time of his first visit, shows that Cole displayed conservative attributes in an attempt to reverse time and capture the posterity of the landscape.
The Lackawanna Valley
“The Lackawanna Valley,” done by George Inness in 1856, was an artwork focusing mainly on industrialization where there was a new rail system near Scranton, Pennsylvania. This particular work differed with the previous more traditionally themed Hudson River School paintings due to the deliberate emphasis on the train. Inness made the roundhouse larger to show accomplishments in the field of construction. The artist wanted to emphasize the scarring of the landscape, as there is minimal tree cover to make room for the railroad, thus symbolizing environmental degradation. The presence of a young man seated on the field represents a future where people appreciate modern technology as a form of beauty of nature.
Niagara
“Niagara,” done by Fredric Edwin Church in 1857, was a painting of the Niagara Falls where he adopts an aerial view that reveals a large field of display of the distance the fall spans showing the cascading waters. He makes use of unusually long canvas chosen to create a panoramic effect. The perspective he selected suppresses the foreground to display a more massive, curving vista that immerses the viewer in a sublime state. This particular painting remained the best representation of the falls in the 19th century, which at the time, had surpassed any European site. Therefore, it symbolized America’s vigorous and potential promise.
Works Cited
Seiferle, Rebecca. "The Hudson River School Movement Overview and Analysis." 2018. The Art Story - Modern Art Insight. Web. 11 December 2018. .
