The Hudson River School "refers to American landscape painting created between 1825 and roughly 1875" by a variety of artists who lived in the Hudson River Valley of New York, including Thomas Cole and John Frederick Kensett. The Albany Institute of History and Art's Making of the Hudson River School exhibition is more than a mere catalogue of these striking paintings - although, rest assured, fans of the Hudson River Valley school will certainly find numerous digitized paintings here. Rather, the site presents an exploration of the artistic, cultural, technological, and natural inspirations for this school of art. The website presents these inspirations through twelve themes. Each theme is accompanied by a short essay about its significance and additional archival material for visitors to explore. For example, on the Landscaping People page, visitors can examine the artistic usage of landscape art in eighteenth and nineteenth century portraiture. On The Geological Revolution Page, visitors can view geologists Amos Eaton's 1830 geological map of New York State. This collection situates Hudson River School paintings in historical and cultural context and are a joy to behold.
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