While some of you are at home in the warmth, sad about not being able to go on summer vacations, or lying in bed dreaming of America, imagine me ringing your doorbell, dragging you out of your home, and taking you by the hand. Indeed, my story will take you on an imaginary journey through the wonderful landscapes of the United States, captured by some of the most iconic painters and photographers of the "New World." Who will these travel companions be, and why did I choose them?
Well, most of the artists mentioned were part of significant movements in American landscape art and photography, which had a substantial impact on the representation of nature. Just to give you a preview of some of them: Thomas Cole, founder of the Hudson River School, initiated a movement that celebrated the wild and untouched beauty of America. Jasper Francis Cropsey, also a member of the Hudson River School along with Asher Brown Durand, was known for his seasonal landscapes, particularly autumn ones, that depicted nature in all its splendor.
Albert Bierstadt, on the other hand, expanded the boundaries of the movement with his grand representations of the American West, while Frederic Edwin Church, a student of Cole, added a scientific and adventurous dimension to his works, inspired by the travels and studies of Alexander von Humboldt.
On the photography front, Carleton Watkins was a pioneer in capturing the beauty of Yosemite, while Ansel Adams is famous for his black-and-white photographs that portray the majesty of Yosemite and other national parks.
We are ready for our journey, an adventure through ten extraordinary works of art that will transport us to the United States. Imagine being part of an organized tour where each artist we meet will be our personal guide, revealing the beauty and majesty of their country through their eyes and creations.
Thomas Cole, The Oxbow, 1836. Oil on canvas. MOMA, New York.
First Stop: Thomas Cole and "The Oxbow" (View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm) (1836)
As we embark on our journey, our first travel companion is Thomas Cole, the founder of the Hudson River School. With his 1836 painting, he presents us with a romantic panorama of the Connecticut River Valley, symbolizing the tension between wilderness and civilization immediately after a thunderstorm.
Why capture such a sentiment? Between 1833 and 1836, Thomas Cole was deeply engaged in creating his series of paintings titled "The Course of Empire," commissioned by New York patron Luman Reed. The intense work and solitude involved in this project led Cole to feel lonely and depressed. Noticing Cole's distress, Reed suggested he take a break and create a different piece for the annual exhibition of the National Academy of Design in April 1836. Cole agreed and decided to paint a view from Mount Holyoke, an area he had previously sketched and found particularly inspiring.
Describing the masterpiece, "The Oxbow" presents a powerful contrast between wilderness and cultivated land. The left side of the painting shows a dark, storm-ravaged terrain with broken tree trunks and rugged cliffs under threatening clouds. In stark contrast, the right side depicts a serene, sunlit landscape with cultivated fields, highlighting the tranquil Connecticut River winding through it. Cole skillfully used a diagonal line to separate these two contrasting scenes, creating a narrative of nature versus civilization. Notably, Cole also included a small self-portrait in the foreground, sitting with his easel. Can you spot the well-camouflaged painter? This figure underscores the presence of the artist within the natural world he immortalizes.
Asher Brown Durand, Kindred Spirits, 1836. Oil on canvas. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Second Stop: Asher Brown Durand and "Kindred Spirits" (1849)
Continuing our journey, we meet Asher Brown Durand. With "Kindred Spirits," the painter guides us to a ledge in one of the gorges of the Catskill Mountains, where, in addition to the landscape, Thomas Cole and William Cullen Bryant, a renowned nature poet and editor, are depicted. Why this particular subject?
Durand, Cole's first disciple and a close friend of Bryant, created this painting at the request of Jonathan Sturges, a patron of both artists. Sturges gifted the painting to Bryant in honor of the eulogy the poet delivered during Cole's memorial service in February 1848. Drawing on a phrase from John Keats' seventh sonnet, "O Solitude," Sturges asked Durand to portray Cole and Bryant together as "kindred spirits" in the landscape. Consequently, Durand adapted his meticulous approach to natural forms, such as the rocky ledge and overhanging tree branches, to suggest Keats' poetic references to "nature's observatory" and "the boughs pavilioned."
Beyond its historical significance, the painting embodies the marriage of naturalism and idealization central to the Hudson River School's aesthetics. The meticulous depiction of natural elements, combined with an idealized vision of nature, reflects the harmony and beauty that Durand and his contemporaries sought to capture in their works.
Jasper Francis Cropsey , Greenwood Lake, 1870. Painting.
Third Stop: Jasper Francis Cropsey and "Greenwood Lake" (1870)
Our journey continues with Jasper Francis Cropsey, who acts as our guide to Greenwood Lake! The eponymous painting captures the serenity of a sunset at the aforementioned location, where a rich and vibrant color palette highlights the red and golden leaves of the trees.
Cropsey was renowned for his bold and sumptuous use of color, which, as a first-generation member of the Hudson River School, he primarily employed to depict autumnal subjects that impressed viewers with their vibrancy and brilliance.
In "Greenwood Lake," the artist also gives voice to another of his unique beliefs: that landscapes are the highest form of art and that nature represents a direct manifestation of God. This masterpiece not only celebrates the natural beauty of the region but also reflects a deep patriotic sentiment for the rugged and untamed qualities of America.
Albert Bierstadt, The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak, 1863. Painting.
Fourth Stop: Albert Bierstadt and "The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak" (1863)
Albert Bierstadt takes us to Lander's Peak in the Wyoming mountain range, where we can also observe a Shoshone Native American camp, which appears in the foreground of the painting. The choice of the subject is due to particular circumstances: the artist created the piece in 1863, based on sketches made during an 1859 expedition led by Colonel Frederic W. Lander in the present-day regions of Wyoming and Utah.
Bierstadt, born in Germany in 1830 but moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, at the age of two, spent many formative years in Europe, debuting in 1858. However, his success came after the aforementioned 1859 journey. During this expedition, the artist was deeply impressed by the Rocky Mountain landscapes, describing them as "the best material for the artist in the world." Nonetheless, it is important to highlight that the masterpiece in question does not depict a real landscape but rather an idealized location based on nature, altered by Bierstadt to achieve a dramatic effect.
Albert Bierstadt, Valley of the Yosemite, 1864. Painting.
Fifth Stop: Albert Bierstadt and "Valley of the Yosemite" (1864)
We stay with our guide Bierstadt for an excursion in Yosemite Park, the subject of "Valley of the Yosemite," a painting created following his summer 1863 trip to the West Coast of the United States with writer Fitz Hugh Ludlow. During the journey, Bierstadt spent several weeks making en plein air studies in Yosemite Valley, using these sketches as references for his future paintings, including "Valley of the Yosemite," completed in his New York studio in 1864.
Bierstadt described Yosemite as the "Garden of Eden in America" and painted idealistic scenes of the American wilderness, portraying it as entirely untouched by humans. In fact, "Valley of the Yosemite" presents an idyllic scene with a group of deer peacefully roaming in the foreground, while the sunset casts a yellow-orange glow over the entire landscape, rendered in Bierstadt's typical luminist style.
Interesting fact: this masterpiece, being on a smaller scale compared to his other panoramic scenes, is often considered a sketch for his significantly larger painting, "Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California," created a year later in 1865.
Carleton Watkins, Half Dome, Yosemite, 1865. Photography.
Sixth Stop: Carleton Watkins and "Half Dome, Yosemite" (1865)
Continuing with Carleton Watkins, a pioneer in landscape photography, his image "Half Dome, Yosemite" showcases the majesty of the park's most famous rock formation. The photograph, taken by Carleton Watkins and printed by Isaiah West Taber around 1870, is a clear testament to how this location became one of the artist's favorite subjects. Watkins' images significantly influenced the U.S. Congress's decision to preserve the valley as a National Park.
Going back in time, it was in July 1861 that Watkins made a career-defining decision: to travel to Yosemite with his mammoth-plate camera and a stereoscopic camera. The artist concluded his trip with thirty mammoth plates and one hundred stereoscopic negatives, which were exhibited in New York at the Goupil Gallery in 1862, receiving praise from critics, including the New York Times. Why such success? Watkins' works represent some of the earliest examples of Yosemite photography seen on the East Coast of the United States.
Thomas Moran, The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, 1872. Painting.
Seventh Stop: Thomas Moran and "The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone" (1872)
We now traverse the vast and wild landscape of Yellowstone National Park with Thomas Moran, whose painting brings us to contemplate the majestic Grand Canyon. But how did he become so familiar with the area to guide us?
In 1871, Moran participated in an expedition led by Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden that explored the area destined to become Yellowstone National Park. The artist spent several days sketching the Grand Canyon from various perspectives. It's important to highlight how Hayden's detailed report on the expedition, which included Moran's sketches and paintings, as well as photographs by William Henry Jackson, persuaded Congress to preserve the area as a national park. Indeed, shortly thereafter, in March 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the law protecting Yellowstone National Park, creating the world's first national park.
Returning to the artwork, the masterpiece offers an idealized view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone's topography at the end of the 19th century. The viewer's attention is drawn to the flowing river, which appears tiny compared to the vast rocky landscape. Although the composition, rich with firs and pines, suggests a primordial environment untouched by civilization, four figures, including a Native American, can be seen in the foreground as witnesses to the majesty of nature.
Thomas Moran, The Chasm of the Colorado, 1874. Painting.
Eighth Stop: Thomas Moran and "The Chasm of the Colorado" (1874)
Our journey through the Grand Canyon continues with Thomas Moran, this time featuring his masterpiece "The Chasm of the Colorado," completed between 1873 and 1874, born from his exploration with Major John Wesley Powell.
The subject is rendered in a dramatic storm scene: the left side of the painting is enveloped in dark, menacing clouds, while the right side is illuminated by a clearer sky, creating a strong chromatic contrast. This effect not only demonstrates Moran's ability to depict dynamic atmospheric conditions but also the grandeur and peril of the natural landscape.
Once again, Moran's work underscored the pristine and primordial beauty of the American West, playing a significant role in promoting the conservation of these natural landscapes. "The Chasm of the Colorado" was purchased by the United States Congress for $10,000 and displayed in the Senate Lobby. Currently, the painting is housed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Ansel Adams, Clearing Winter Storm, 1944. Photography.
Ninth Stop: Ansel Adams and "Clearing Winter Storm" (1944)
The last two destinations of our journey will have the same guide: Ansel Adams! The photographer is the author of "Clearing Winter Storm," an iconic shot that captures the already frequently mentioned Yosemite National Park. The black-and-white image fully conveys the majesty and drama of nature, showing the snow-covered mountains emerging from storm clouds, creating an ethereal and mysterious atmosphere. Indeed, Adams' skillful composition uses the contrast between deep shadows and bright lights, emphasizing the vastness and pristine beauty of the natural landscape.
It is no coincidence that Adams' landscape photographs are known for their intense emotional charge, giving the images strength and depth. This comes to life through a long quest, with the ultimate aim of showcasing nature's beauty and highlighting the dangers of consumerism and a lifestyle that does not respect the environment. Thanks to his work, we can still admire the great natural parks as they were before the advent of mass tourism.
Interesting fact: At the age of 14, Adams received his first camera during a visit to Yosemite National Park, an event that marked the beginning of his photographic career.
Ansel Adams, Aspens, Northern New Mexico, 1958. Photography.
Tenth Stop: Ansel Adams and "Aspens, Northern New Mexico" (1958)
Before returning home from our American vacation, Adams wants to show us New Mexico, captured in the photograph "Aspens." How was this black-and-white photograph born? A classic example of the artist's style in capturing the beauty and essence of American landscapes, the masterpiece was created during a return trip from Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, in the fall of 1958. During the journey, Adams noticed a grove of quaking aspens in New Mexico and was particularly struck by their golden leaves; he promptly decided to stop and photograph the scene. The artist described that moment as follows: "We were in the shadow of the mountains north of Santa Fe, the light was cool and quiet, and there was no wind. The aspen trunks were slightly greenish, and the leaves were a vibrant yellow. The forest floor was covered with a tangle of reddish underbrush. It was all very quiet."
Although he initially considered taking a color photograph, Adams opted for black and white, which allowed him to enhance the contrast between the forest shadows and the tree leaves. The artist also explained that most observers thought the image was taken in a sunlit scene, whereas it actually represented light diffused from the sky and reflected from distant clouds. This observation highlights how Adams used his style to transcend the simple representation of physical reality, inviting viewers to an emotional and contemplative response.
Have a safe return from your vacation in America!
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli