4b, 5a, 5b

4b: Benjamin Franklin; Hiram Powers, 1862

Read, observations
- Powers lived after Franklin, so how did he learn about his appearance?
- Who else have we studied that went to Europe to pursue art? (Stuart) Why did Powers go?
- Why did the US government want a statue of Franklin? (He was a member of the convention that framed the constitution, which created the senate.)
- Nineteenth-century sculptors often depicted leaders in classical Greek or Roman robes, reminding viewers that American government had its roots in ancient Greece. Can you think of any examples of this in the US? (the Statue of Liberty) Powers was criticized for showing Franklin in contemporary dress (for the time). Why did he choose to do this?
- Compare Ben Franklin to portrait of George Washington: clothes, expression, pose, props

- Compare to portrait of Paul Revere: clothes, expression, pose, props

Other art in the Senate building: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/sd107-11/browse.html
Homework: Essay! Pick one of the paintings/sculptures from the catalogue and read the accompanying text. Write a paragraph describing the artwork (who made it, where, when, materials, size, etc.). In another paragraph describe what it depicts (remember to pay attention to dress, expression and pose, composition, etc.). Talk about the meaning/significance of the piece.Write another paragraph or so about why it is in the Senate building. You may need to look at other resources (please cite them at the end of the paper). Put the name of the artist and the title of the piece at the top of the paper; include an introduction and conclusion. Due October 21. If you’d like extra credit, you can do another one.

5a: View from Mount Holyoke (The Oxbow), Thomas Cole, 1836
Read, observations
- Why might someone living in a city at that time want an image like this in their home?

- What sorts of images are equivalent to this these days?
Discuss the Noah/Shaddai connection (symbols created through the presence of the logging scars)-In light of the recent rain…

-A reference to the days of Noah? Commentary on present-day society?

From the last paragraph: Is Cole suggesting that the landscape be read as a holy text that reveals the word of God? If so, wouldn’t any human intrusion be sacrilege? On the other hand, the artist’s careful division of the landscape implies that civilization drives out the danger and chaos inherent in the natural world. Perhaps the painting itself embodies Cole’s ambivalence (indecisiveness). It was also painted for profit and therefore could be considered, to a certain degree, exploitative of the nation’s natural beauty.

Thomas Cole is considered the founder of the Hudson River School movement- mid-1800s, landscape painting that was characterized by themes of naturalism (realism) and romanticism (emphasizing beauty, conveying a sense of purity, emotions). What may have spurred its creation? (a response to urbanization)

(left: sketch for "The View from Mt. Holyoke")

The Course of the Empire series (1 - The Savage State, 2 - The Arcadian/Pastoral State, 3 - Consummation, 4 - Destruction, 5 - Desolation)

What elements change? Which ones stay the same? How does Cole get his ideas across? What kinds of tools does he use to set the mood in these paintings?

Like the next artist, Thomas Cole did some illustrations for the popular book, "Last of the Mohicans", by James Fenimore Cooper. Here is one:














5b: The Last of the Mohicans Cover Illustration, N. C. Wyeth, 1919
Read, observations
Describe the style of the painting and how it pertains to the subject-matter (the rough brush strokes and unmixed colors reflect the rough-hewn and less "refined" lifestyle of the Indians; rich colors and slightly stylized characters/environment would appeal to the children who read the book)
Why is or is not this an accurate depiction of an American Indian?
- Is this ethical?



















French and Indian war:
The French and Indian War, a colonial extension of the Seven Years War that ravaged Europe from 1756 to 1763, was the bloodiest American war in the 18th century. It took more lives than the American Revolution, involved people on three continents, including the Caribbean. The war was the product of an imperial struggle, a clash between the French and English over colonial territory and wealth. Within these global forces, the war can also be seen as a product of the localized rivalry between British and French colonists.
After a year and a half of undeclared war, the French and the English formally declared war in May 1756. For the first three years of the war, the outnumbered French dominated the battlefield, soundly defeating the English in battles at Fort Oswego and Ticonderoga. Perhaps the most notorious battle of the war was the French victory at Fort William Henry, which ended in a massacre of British soldiers by Indians allied with the French. The battle and ensuing massacre was captured for history—though not accurately—by James Fenimore Cooper in his classic The Last of the Mohicans .
The tide turned for the British in 1758, as they began to make peace with important Indian allies and, under the direction of Lord William Pitt began adapting their war strategies to fit the territory and landscape of the American frontier. The British had a further stroke of good fortune when the French were abandoned by many of their Indian allies. Exhausted by years of battle, outnumbered and outgunned by the British, the French collapsed during the years 1758-59, climaxing with a massive defeat at Quebec in September 1759.
The results of the war effectively ended French political and cultural influence in North America. England gained massive amounts of land and vastly strengthened its hold on the continent. The war, however, also had subtler results. It badly eroded the relationship between England and Native Americans; and, though the war seemed to strengthen England's hold on the colonies, the effects of the French and Indian War played a major role in the worsening relationship between England and its colonies that eventually led into the Revolutionary War.