Summary Of Thomas Cole By Thomas Cole

In this painting, Thomas Cole used the Monocular Cues Relative size, Interposition, and atmospheric perspective to represent depth in his painting. Relative size is perception that occurs when objects that a person expects to be of a certain size appears to be much smaller and is therefore assumed to be much further away. The trees and people are an example of that. While they seem to be of normal size in the front of the picture, they get smaller and smaller as the picture gets “deeper“. Since the normal human mind knows that trees do not have the size of a thumb, it is assumed that the other people and trees in the painting are further away, creating depth. Interposition is quite similar to relative size. It explains that we think an object
is closer too us, when it overlaps the view of another. The trees in the front appear closer because they overlap the trees in the background. Last but not least, this painting was created in a atmospheric perspective. Objects at a distance appear hazy compared to objects that are closer. The trees and people are much more detailed in the front of the picture and gets more blurry and fuzzy as the distance increases. The hills and trees in the back are just mere sketches while in the front of the picture, you can even tell what clothes the people are wearing.