The Course of Empire: The Savage State 1834

Thomas Cole’s “The Course of Empire: The Savage State” was painted using oil on canvas, a material that allowed him to achieve the luminous atmosphere seen here. Looking at the canvas, you might consider the labor involved in its production, from flax cultivation to weaving. Then there is the skilled work of grinding and mixing pigments, often involving toxic materials. Oil paint, in particular, was gaining industrial production at this time. Cole used these materials to evoke a wild, pre-industrial landscape, complete with hunters and canoes. But of course, his very act of painting relied on a complex economy of materials, skills, and social structures. While appearing to be a timeless scene, it depended on a particular historical moment. Thinking about the relationship between art and industry helps us to see beyond the immediate subject matter, revealing the complex layers of meaning embedded in the artwork. It reminds us that even seemingly ‘natural’ scenes are shaped by the hand of humanity.