American Lake Scene 1844

Thomas Cole, a founder of the Hudson River School, painted this “American Lake Scene”. Cole and his contemporaries created romanticized views of the American landscape during a period of rapid industrialization and westward expansion in the 19th century. While these landscape paintings appear to celebrate the natural beauty of America, we must consider the cultural and historical context in which they were made. Manifest Destiny, the belief that American settlers were destined to expand across the continent, fueled the displacement and genocide of Native American populations. These landscape paintings often overlooked the presence and rights of Indigenous peoples, presenting an idealized vision of untouched wilderness that served to legitimize westward expansion. Cole once wrote: "To walk with nature as a poet is the necessary condition of a perfect artist." Looking closely, the small figure of a person in a boat can be discerned on the lake. This insertion of a person emphasizes the personal experience of encountering the sublime in nature. But it also hides that, for many, that encounter came at a great price.