Thomas Cole's "The Oxbow"

Overview

• Location: Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Artist: Thomas Cole, founder of American landscape painting
• Title: "View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm-- The Oxbow"
• Commonly Known As: "The Oxbow"
• Art Movement: Hudson River School
• Size: Approximately 5 to 6 feet wide and 5 feet high

Importance of Landscape Painting

• Low Ranking in Europe: Seen as a lowly genre by European academies
• American Society: Painting not highly valued; preference for portraits and landscapes
• Purpose: Cole aimed to elevate landscape painting, using it to convey larger themes

Themes and Interpretation

Transformation and Metamorphosis

• Left Side: Storm-ravaged landscape, symbolizing the sublime - wild, untamed, and awesome nature
  • Elements: Broken tree, rain, frantic birds, lightning
• Right Side: Settled landscape, representing the pastoral - peaceful, cultivated land with grazing sheep and homes
  • Elements: Farmland, grazing livestock, homes

America and Manifest Destiny

• America as New Eden: Untouched wilderness vs. the built environment of Europe
• Manifest Destiny: Belief in Americans' divine right to settle the land
• Hebrew Letters: Hill read as "Shaddai" meaning "almighty", representing God's blessing

Art Historical Context

• Sublime to Pastoral Transition: From wild nature to peaceful human habitation
• Narrative Vignettes: Specific details like ferries, pathways, and valleys

Specificity and Entertainment

• Specific Details: Fungus on trees, birds, and self-portrait of Cole
• Christian Context: Cross-shaped chair, portfolio reading as tombstone

Market and Audience

• Middle Class Audience: Rising merchant class, patrons of Cole
• Purpose of Entertainment: Art that is accessible and relatable to everyday Americans
• Contrast to Mythology: Straightforward narrative appealing to the American public

Conclusion

• Cole's Legacy: Successfully used landscape painting to communicate complex themes while entertaining and engaging the American public.