Voyage Of Life Thomas Cole

Thomas Cole’s piece titled The Voyage of Life: Youth is part of a four-part series that traces the journey of an archetypal hero along the "River of Life." This piece was made in 1842 and is currently located in The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The piece is oil on canvas, and it is hanging on the wall with the remaining four stages of human life; childhood, manhood, and old age. Thomas Cole’s oil painting process started with a thin and even application of an additional ground to the already prepared supports in order to harmonize his distinctive color palette. Sometimes he applied the paint quite thinly, but he varied the density of his pigments—they are especially thick in the bright highlights. The final step was to apply a layer of transparent varnish that provided a lustrous
As for the light source of this piece the sun has moved from the east (childhood piece) to right above him giving him a glance of a new future. Cole’s color palette leans towards the warmer colors, as it gives a lighter value from the boy to his journey to the palace. Also, the use of dark colors from behind the boy and where the angel stands except, she has an aura of light. I believe his use of contrast between dark and light colors gives variety in the artwork. Continuing with motion, the cool colors, white, and curved lines give the river a flowing feel as the boat floats above. The piece also contains shapes such as the palace, which consists of circles and rectangles. The texture of the painting is more useful with the fluffy clouds in the blue background. While the pattern is associated with the greenery and the symmetrical balance of columns in the palace. I think the chance in this piece is the angel just because she’s sort of in the background as if she’s not needed anymore and the most emphasized than the palace (which most would