On the farthest side of the bay rises a precipitous hill, crowned by a singular isolated rock, which, to the mariner, would ever be a striking land-mark. The sun is rising from the sea, and the stormy clouds of night are dissipating before his rays. 1., which may be called the ‘Savage State,' or ‘the Commencement of Empire,' represents a wild scene of rocks, mountains, woods, and a bay of the ocean. It is a healthy world, unchanged by humanity. This painting depicts the ideal state of the natural world. The visual references are those of Native American life. A hunter clad in skins hastens through the wilderness, pursuing a fleeing deer canoes paddle up the river on the far shore can be seen a clearing with a cluster of tipis around a fire, the nucleus of the city that is to be. Clouds and mist shroud much of the distant landscape, hinting at the uncertain future. The first painting, The Savage State, shows the valley from the shore opposite the crag, in the dim light of a dawning stormy day. The Course of Empire The Savage State, or The Commencement of the Empire
#SIMPLE DESKTOPS AUTUMN SERIES#
The series was acquired by The New-York Historical Society in 1858 as a gift of the New-York Gallery of Fine Arts and remains in their collection today. The layout was approximately as shown here, according to Cole's installation diagram (adopted to the fireplace). Cole quoted lines from Canto IV in his newspaper advertisements for the series, a quote by Bishop Berkeley also can be used to describe the series : įirst freedom and then Glory – when that fails,īishop Berkeley -"Westward, the course of empire takes its way …"Ĭole designed these paintings to be displayed prominently in the picture gallery on the third floor of the mansion of his patron, Luman Reed, at 13 Greenwich Street, New York City.
Some critics believe this is meant to contrast the immutability of the earth with the transience of man.Ī direct source of literary inspiration for The Course of Empire paintings is Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage (1812–18). The valley is distinctly identifiable in each of the paintings, in part because of an unusual landmark: a large boulder is situated atop a crag overlooking the valley.
The series of paintings depicts the growth and fall of an imaginary city, situated on the lower end of a river valley, near its meeting with a bay of the sea.
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