American Romanticism: The Hudson River School

About this course:

As America transformed from its colonial period to a fully-fledged nation, the paintings of the Hudson River School of artists in the 19th century depicted the Hudson River Valley and the surrounding area, including the Catskill, Adirondack, and White Mountains. Their work reflected a belief that nature in the form of the American landscape reflected God, as well as an interest in discovery and exploration as the country expanded westward. In this course, we look at how the Hudson River School artists influenced other artists to explore the American wilderness and paint the luminous skies of the Eastern Seaboard to the coppery colors of the Southwest. Artists include Thomas Cole, Asher Brown Durand, Frederic Edwin Church, Sanford Gifford, Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran, and others. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to the video for 30 days.