This gallery will showcase different works of art that represent the time period of American Romanticism. The artworks vary from paintings of nature, still paintings, and self portraits. The viewer of this gallery will get to experience the different themes of romanticism and what it represented. The emphasis of nature is the main theme in this gallery and that represents the main message of the romantic era which was that truth can and should be found in nature.
Eagle Cliff, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, Jasper Francis Cropsey, 1858, From the collection of: North Carolina Museum of Art
This painting by Jasper Francis Cropsey shows a natural setting in which a small village or family lives in. What I like about this picture is how even with civilization, the emphasis is still on the beauty of nature without industrialization.
Two-Tiered Still Life with Fruit and Sunset Landscape, Severin Roesen, ca. 1867, From the collection of: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
This still life painting by Severin Roesen shows a table filled with many different fruits. This painting reinforces the message that the abundance of natural resources that are found in America is what makes it so different form anywhere else.
The Low Lighthouse, North Shields, Robert Salmon, 1775–ca.1845, British, 1828, From the collection of: Yale Center for British Art
This painting shows a harbor during the year 1828. This painting expresses a sad or depressed emotion because the whole painting has a dark look. There are no bright colors that stand out and everything just seems to blend in.
Farmyard in Winter, George Henry Durrie, 1858, From the collection of: The White House
This painting shows a farmyard in the winter during 1858.The artist George Henry Durrie was most popular for his winter rural scenes and that can be seen by the quality of this painting.
Florida Sunrise, Martin Johnson Heade, c. 1890 - 1900, From the collection of: The White House
This painting shows off the painting style called luminism. Luminism is characterized by effects of lights in a landscape by using an aerial perspective. This painting mostly emphasize peace and tranquility with the calm water and hazy sky.
Lake of the Mountains, Thomas Doughty, 1829, From the collection of: de Young museum
This painting is of a lake in the mountains. The emphasis of this picture is on the beauty and simplicity of nature in a natural state. The lighting and contrast in this picture brings a relaxing mood when I look at it.
Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, Thomas Cole, 1828, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
This painting represents when Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden. The left and right side of this painting have a contrasting theme. The right side shows beautiful nature while the left side shows dead trees and leaves.
The Indian's Vespers, Asher B. Durand, 1847, From the collection of: The White House
This picture shows an Indian that is looking out into the sun. This painting has more of a religious meaning because a vesper is a sunset evening prayer service. The Indian is performing a prayer as he looks out into the sunset.
Rainy Season in the Tropics, Frederic Edwin Church, 1866, From the collection of: de Young museum
This painting is one of the most famous from Frederic Edwin Church. The main thing that sticks out to me when I look at this photo is the double rainbow. The rainbow adds an element which makes the waterfall look even more beautiful and majestic.
A View of Asheville, North Carolina, Robert Duncanson, 1850, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
This photo shows a landscape view form someone looking outside a window.Those two men are looking and observing what the nature holds.I like how in this painting, the mountains seem to look like they go on forever.
California Spring, Albert Bierstadt (1830–1902), 1875, From the collection of: de Young museum
This painting shows a pastoral scene along the Sacramento River. This photo celebrates the American West as a natural place. An interesting thing about this picture is that the artist painted the dome of the Sacramento State Capitol in small detail by the California oak trees.
Valley of Cuernavaca, Thomas Moran, 1903, From the collection of: Smithsonian American Art Museum
This painting shows the landscape view of the Valley of Cuernavaca. This painting is what romanticism mainly was about which is focusing on the simplicity and beauty that nature has to offer. The artist makes the valley look like it goes on and on with no end.
Order No. 11, George Caleb Bingham (American, b.1811, d.1879), 1865 - 1868, From the collection of: Cincinnati Art Museum
This painting focuses more on the message than the actual art itself. It illustrates when General Thomas Ewing demanded that all rural residents of Missouri along the Kansas border need to evacuate. This was an attempt to settle the conflict between the slave owners of Missouri and the anti-slave people of Kansas.
Portrait of Fidelia Marshall, Charles Cromwell Ingham, ca. 1840, From the collection of: Smithsonian American Art Museum
This self portrait is of a woman named Fidelia Marshall.This photo is very proper and it is difficult to tell the emotion of the woman.She is the main thing that stands out in this painting because of the contrast between her fair skin and white dress against the dark background.
The Cutting Scene, Mandan O-kee-pa Ceremony, George Catlin, 1832, From the collection of: Denver Art Museum
This painting shows the part in the Mandan O-kee-pa ceremony where boys are pierced with pieces of wood in their chests and shoulder and are then hung from the ceiling by leather straps that are attached to the wood.This ceremony is the right of passage from being a young boy to manhood which tested both mental and physical endurance.
Winding Up, William Sidney Mount, 1836, From the collection of: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
This painting represents the courting ritual during this time period. The title winding up has two different meanings. The first one is the literal meaning which refers to the ball of yarn that the woman is winding around the man's hand. The second meaning refers to the stage of their courtship.
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
