Art History- Thomas Cole

Thomas Cole, an American Influence Thomas Cole was an established 19thcentury American painter. He was a landscape artist and the founder of the Hudson River School, an American art movement consisting of other landscape artists. He was known for his realistic depiction of American landscape and countryside. Along with painting landscapes, he painted allegorical works, the most famous being The Course of Empire, a five part series and The Voyage of Life, a four part series. As Cole’s fame began to spread, he went back toEngland. Here he traveled across Europe and visited many places where he continued tosketch and paint, critical to his development and successfulness. He built his reputation and importance in America by meeting many wealthy American tourists all over Europe. In 1832, Cole returned to New York where he made an exhibition of his several European paintings. He maintained a countryside studio inCatskill, New York. Later, he was commissioned to paint his five famous allegorical scenes, The Course of Empire. Shortly after, he painted four more very famous scenes in The Voyage of Life. Cole met a woman by the name of Maria Bartow, whom he later married in 1836. They both were baptized, confirmed and received communion at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Later, he was the primary architect in the rebuilding of St. Luke’s after a fire destroyed the building. In 1941, he left for Europe once again where he painted a second Voyage of Lifein Italy. Being a predominant public figure, Cole wrote many letters and poems that were published in New York papers. In 1844, he was paid to teach FrederichE. Church in his studio for two years. In 1846, he decided to take on another student, Benjamin McConkey. In 1848, Cole passed away after several months of poor health in his bedroom overlooking his much-loved Catskill Mountains. He had a very short but successful life. His depiction of American landscapes and scenery provided a large variety of work, which continues to