Art

The Hudson River School: Nature and the AmericanVision

In the mid-1800s, a group of painters based in New York turned their focus to the theme of the natural landscape to demonstrate the beauty of the wilderness. Their work enjoyed a popular national success that no other group of artists has achieved since. This seminal survey of the artists marks the first presentation of the outstanding collection at the New-York Historical Society. It features works by all the greatest artists of the group, including Thomas Cole, Asher Durand, Albert Bierstadt, and Frederic Church. Accompanying a major traveling exhibition, the book is also timed to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s first voyage up the Hudson River.

About The Author

The New-York Historical Society, a preeminent research and education institution, is home to both New York City’s oldest museum and one of the nation’s most distinguished independent research libraries. Founded in 1804, its holdings cover four centuries of American history.

Dr. Linda S. Ferber
is the museum director at the New-York Historical Society.

  • Publish Date: October 06, 2009
  • Format: Hardcover
  • Category: Art - Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General
  • Publisher: Rizzoli Electa
  • Trim Size: 11 x 10
  • Pages: 220
  • US Price: $60.00
  • CDN Price: $80.00
  • ISBN: 978-0-8478-3264-4

Reviews

The glorious landscape paintings of the Hudson River Valley—and beyond—which forged America’s first artistic movement.

“In the first half of the 19th century, a group of painters working in New York City developed a distinctly American vision of the landscape. Their powerful interpretations of American scenery, which came to be known as the Hudson River School, ‘tell the story of how landscape imagery can shape both national and cultural identity,’ The book showcases more than a hundred of these images, many in full-page reproduction that convey the original paintings’ monumental scale…” ~Luxist.com
 
“…The paintings show how American artists embodied powerful ideas about nature, culture and history—including a belief that a special providence was manifest to Americans in the continent’s sublime landscape.” ~NewYorkHistoryBlog.com