View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow

Thomas Cole

Created:
Movement:
1836
Romanticism
key Notes:
Sublime landscape; Manifest Destiny.
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Dimensions:
51 1/2 x 76 in. (130.8 x 193 cm)
medium:
Oil on canvas
Difficulty:
Easy
New game
story of the work:

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Thomas Cole's "View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow" (1836)

Thomas Cole, a pivotal figure in American art, created "The Oxbow" in 1836, employing oil on canvas to capture the dramatic landscape of the Connecticut River Valley. This work is emblematic of the Hudson River School, an art movement Cole founded, which celebrated the natural beauty of the American wilderness. The painting juxtaposes untamed wilderness with cultivated land, symbolizing the tension between nature and civilization during the 19th century. Cole's meticulous attention to detail and atmospheric effects underscore his commitment to portraying the sublime in nature. As a British-born artist who immigrated to the United States, Cole's work significantly influenced American landscape painting, inspiring future generations of artists. "The Oxbow" remains a seminal piece in American art history, reflecting both the nation's burgeoning identity and its complex relationship with the environment.

Description of the work:

View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow

Painted by Thomas Cole in 1836, this oil on canvas work exemplifies the Hudson River School style, capturing the dramatic contrast between untamed wilderness and cultivated land in the Connecticut River Valley. The painting reflects Cole's interest in the sublime and the tension between nature and civilization, characteristic of early American landscape art.

Artwork Photograph Source:
Metropolitan Museum of Art

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View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow