Thomas Cole: A Traveling Portrait Artist

Thomas Cole was born on February 1, 1801 at Bolton, Lancashire in Northwestern England and immigrated with his family to the United States in 1818. Throughout the early years, Cole lived in Philadelphia, Ohio, and Pittsburgh where he worked as a traveling portrait artist. Thomas Cole was primarily self-taught, however, he stilled worked with members of the Philadelphia Academy, and his canvases appeared in the Academy's exhibitions. In 1825, Cole’s exhibition of small paintings of landscapes in Catskill came to the attention of important figures on the New York City art scene. While still in his twenties, Cole was made a member of the National Academy. Looking to expand his education, Cole returned to Britain in 1829-1831 to study, attend to family business, and travel to France and Italy.
Shortly after, Cole first established his studio in Catskill, when he rented a small building at Cedar Grove. This building is now known as the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. During the winter of 1835-1836, Cole stayed in Catskill to work on "The Course of Empire." In 1836, both Cole's father and his supporter Luman Reed died, but yet there was happiness in that year. On November 22, 1836, Thomas Cole and Maria Bartow got married in the west parlor at Cedar Grove, which became Cole's home. On January 1, 1838, the Cole's first child, Theodore Alexander Cole was born. On February 6, 1848, the Cole family attended a morning service at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church in Catskill. After lunch, Cole complained of exhaustion and by midnight his had condition worsened, followed by an attack of pleurisy and congestion of his lungs. Thomas Cole died in the Main House at Cedar Grove at 8 pm on Friday, February 11th,