The Course of Empire–The Savage State
ca. 1834
Thomas Cole kicks off his epic five-part saga, 'The Course of Empire,' with this moody, untamed wilderness. Swirling storm clouds loom over jagged mountains and a dark river, while tiny figures in the foreground hunt and forage among gnarled trees. It's a dramatic snapshot of nature in its rawest form, setting the stage for the rise and eventual fall of civilization that follows in the rest of the series. Cole, a founder of the Hudson River School, used this Romantic vision to warn Americans about the dangers of unchecked expansion and empire-building.
- Technique
- Oil painting
Location: New-York Historical Society
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