Great American Artists
A talk by Gwen Wright, Vice-Chair of Harrow U3A
Among the many beautiful paintings by American artists shown by Mrs. Wright to the U3A members at their meeting on 17 April, it was Thomas Cole - who died of pleurisy at the age of 47 – who produced so many outstanding works driven by the desire to preserve on canvas the beauty of the natural landscape before it was covered in buildings and trappings of tourism. Of particular note was a Distant View of Niagara Falls from the Canadian side and also views of the “Katterskill Mountains in the Fall”.
It was surprising to learn that the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826) was also apparently a keen artist and exhibited a number of his paintings during his time in office. Around the same time, George Catlin (1796-1872) kept a record of the last days of the native American Indian tribes – their rituals and ceremonies – some more gruesome than others! One or two of his less dramatic subjects featured Indian Chiefs in full regalia and also American Indians disguised in wolf skins hunting for buffalo. A painting entitled “Emigrants Crossing the Plains” showed wagon trains set in the beauty of the natural landscape.
Of the many great American artists, Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) painted the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, featuring misty crags and spectacular waterfalls. The focus of Frederick Church’s work (1826-1900) inclined towards the landscapes of New England.
It was clear from Mrs. Wright’s presentation that great works of art were not only being produced in Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth century but also in the New World. Her talk was therefore an opportunity for members to become acquainted with the work of some of the more distinguished American artists of that era, exhibited largely within America rather than in U.K. galleries.
After a short Question and Answer session, Colin thanked Mrs. Wright for her interesting presentation.
Janet Cato
April 2018
It was surprising to learn that the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826) was also apparently a keen artist and exhibited a number of his paintings during his time in office. Around the same time, George Catlin (1796-1872) kept a record of the last days of the native American Indian tribes – their rituals and ceremonies – some more gruesome than others! One or two of his less dramatic subjects featured Indian Chiefs in full regalia and also American Indians disguised in wolf skins hunting for buffalo. A painting entitled “Emigrants Crossing the Plains” showed wagon trains set in the beauty of the natural landscape.
Of the many great American artists, Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) painted the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, featuring misty crags and spectacular waterfalls. The focus of Frederick Church’s work (1826-1900) inclined towards the landscapes of New England.
It was clear from Mrs. Wright’s presentation that great works of art were not only being produced in Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth century but also in the New World. Her talk was therefore an opportunity for members to become acquainted with the work of some of the more distinguished American artists of that era, exhibited largely within America rather than in U.K. galleries.
After a short Question and Answer session, Colin thanked Mrs. Wright for her interesting presentation.
Janet Cato
April 2018