New England Scenery

1839

Thomas Cole is best known for his scenes of American wilderness, but he also rendered pastoral views of cultivated landscapes, like this painting of New Hampshire’s White Mountains. The prominent church spire emphasizes the role of religion in agrarian society, and the sun's glow expresses optimism for rural America. Painted at a time of rapid industrialization, the work conveys an ideal that was increasingly far from reality.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Thomas Cole (American, born England, 1801–1848)

Date

1839

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

57.1 × 46.7 cm (22 1/2 × 18 3/8 in.)

Origin

New England

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Nickerson Collection