Man in a High Hat 1801 - 1848

Thomas Cole, an artist of the Hudson River School, painted this “Man in a High Hat” sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The portrait demonstrates the rigid codes of dress worn by the urban elite. Cole made his name in the 1820s, painting sweeping landscapes of the American northeast. This portrait of a man in profile might seem a departure, but Cole always combined the close observation of nature with a subtle commentary on American society. The man’s high hat, white collar, and dark overcoat are the visual cues that broadcast his status. What do these sartorial choices tell us about the politics of identity in Jacksonian America? Does this man’s adherence to social norms reflect a conservative outlook? Is Cole subtly critiquing the superficiality of appearances? As an art historian, I look to sources like letters, diaries, and period newspapers to reconstruct the cultural context of artworks like this. With more research, we can better understand how Cole’s portrait engages with the social structures of its time.