The life and works of Thomas Cole

Noble, Louis Legrand

The life and works of Thomas Cole

Louis Legrand Noble

You don't have access to this book. Please try to log in with your institution. Log in

Contents
Stats

Frontmatter
Introduction by Elliot S. Vesell (page xv)
A Note on the Text (page xxxvii)
Preface (page 1)
CHAPTER 1 Cole's Birth and Parentage. School-days. Wood Engraving. A Companion. Recreations. Poetry. Reading. Enthusiasm for America. At Liverpool. (page 3)
CHAPTER 2 The Family removes to America. Mr. Cole a Tradesman in Philadelphia. Thomas, his Employment and Recreations. The Family removes to Steubenville. Thomas continues his Wood Engraving in Philadelphia. Manners and Character described by Companions. Sails for the West Indies. Incident of the Voyage. St. Eustatia. Return to Philadelphia. Journey to Steubenville. (page 6)
CHAPTER 3 Life in Steubenville. Influence of Nature upon him. Develops his Powers. Finds him his Vocation, and his proper Language. Influence of a Portrait Painter. Resolves to become an Artist. Enters upon his Profession. First efforts. His Timidity. Becomes a Portrait-Painter from necessity. (page 10)
CHAPTER 4 Cole an itinerant Portrait-Painter. His first Day out. Night at Mount Pleasant. Arrival at St. Clairsville. Life at St. Clairsville. Adieu to St. Clairsville. Walk to Zanesville. Life at Zanesville. Finds a Friend. Falls into Difficulties. On his way to Chilicothe. Entrance into Town. Letters of Introduction. Discouragements. Brighter prospects. A total Failure. Returns to Zanesville. Paints a Picture. Adieu to his Friend. Returns home. (page 15)
CHAPTER 5 Cole remains at Steubenville. Scene-painting. Further Disappointment. Conclusion of his Life in Steubenville. Letter to William A. Adams. Life in Pittsburgh. Studies nature. Method of Study. Industry in Drawing from Nature. Acts upon his earlier Resolution to pursue Art in a wider Field. Leaves for Philadelphia. His Journey. (page 21)
CHAPTER 6 Life in Philadelphia. Privations and Sufferings. Energy and Industry. Pictures. A Portrait. Cole at Law. Character of his Pictures. An early Landscape. Cole an Author. His Poetry. Prose-writings. Emma Moreton. (page 26)
CHAPTER 7 An unexpected arrival. Leaves Philadelphia, and settles in New York. Life in New York. Cole's Studio. His difficulties. His energy and cheerful industry. First pictures, and their effect upon the public. Their results. A student of nature again. The Hudson and the Catskills. Pictures of their scenery. First acquaintance with artists. Success and reputation. (page 32)
CHAPTER 8 Cole the Dupe of an unworthy Patron. National Academy of Design. Life in the Catskill Mountains. Miscellany: Sunrise from the Catskills; Extracts from the Wild, a poem; Thoughts on Nature; Characters of Trees; Trip to Windham; Storm in the Catskills. (page 37)
CHAPTER 9 Cole in Catskill. Miscellany: The Bewilderment. (page 46)
CHAPTER 10 Cole's Spirit in the Study of Nature. His Pictures the Embodiment of Simple, wild Nature. A higher kind of Art naturally suggested, and growing out of the Elements of his Character. (page 52)
CHAPTER 11 Cole enters upon a higher style of Art. Its consequences. Letters to Mr. Gilmor: picture painted for him; remarks on pictorial composition; pictures in the Academy; the Garden of Eden; the Expulsion. Trip to the White Mountains. (page 60)
CHAPTER 12 Cole anticipates going abroad. Letters to Mr. Gilmor: asks a favour; a favourable reply. A Visit to Niagara. (page 69)
CHAPTER 13 Cole in England. Delight at its Rural Beauties. Studies Nature rather than Pictures. Disappointment at English art. To his Parents: rural scenery; London; Westminster Abbey; pictures; the poet Rogers. Hagar in the Wilderness. Life in London. Disappointments. Sir Thomas Lawrence. English art. Notes on Art: Turner; Hogarth; Claude; Rembrandt; Elzheimer; the effects of time on pictures; of detail in pictures. To Sarah Cole: pictures in the Exhibition; a musical gentleman. To Mr. Gilmor: Sir Thomas Lawrence; opinions of painters. To Mr. Cummings. To Sarah Cole: The Storm. To Mr. Gilmor. (page 75)
CHAPTER 14 Cole in Paris. Notes on Art: the Louvre; French art; Ary Scheffer; Luxenmbourg. Journal: the Rhone. To his Parents: from Paris to Marseilles. Journal: Genoa. To his Parents: from Marseilles to Florence. (page 89)
CHAPTER 15 Cole in Florence. Journal: Visit to Volterra. To Mr. Morton: Life in Florence. Bryant's Sonnet to Cole. Life in Florence. To Mr. Gilmor: a picture for him. Sunset on the Arno. Love of Florence. (page 94)
CHAPTER 16 Cole at Rome. In his Studio, and in Society. Among the works of Art. In Nature. (page 104)
CHAPTER 17 To his Parents: from Florence to Rome; Rome labourers; the Carnival. Notes at Naples: the Colosseum; Pantheon; St. Peter's; the Vatican; Apollo; Venus; Transfiguration; St. Jerome; Moses. Panorama of Naples. Paestum. (page 113)
CHAPTER 18 Journal: from Rome to Florence. To Mr. Gilmor: in Florence again. In the Spirit of Painting. Unexpected call Homewards. His Florentine pictures. Their reception at Home. Cole's opinion of modern Italian pictures. His opinion of the Old Masters. Opinion of Landscape Painting. Florentine pictures, neither copies of the Old Masters, nor false to Nature. The grounds of these charges considered. (page 121)
CHAPTER 19 Cole in New York. Luman Reed. Letter to Mr. Reed: plan of the Course of Empire. Cole's gratitude. To Mr. Adams. Rebuked for Ingratitude. To Mr. Adams: vindicates himself. To the same: renewal of friendship. To the same: Il Arco di Nerone. Cole's generosity. To Mr. Alexander: painting in Catskill. To the same. Angels appearing to the Shepherds. Picture for Mr. Alexander. (page 128)
CHAPTER 20 Thoughts and Occurrences: a dream; a walk; regret on leaving the country; dislike of the city; the music of colours; recollections of return from Europe; musings; poem. To Mr. Alexander. Thoughts, &c.: sad recollections; lecture on American scenery; sympathy with nature; after the storm; a walk to the river; Scott and Irving. Anecdote of Cole's tenderness. (page 139)
CHAPTER 21 Thoughts and Occurrences: holidays on the mountains; a walk; Rip Van Winkle's dell; the Mountain House; the lakes; a voyage; mountain landscape; title of the series of pictures; musings. To Mr. Reed: painting the third picture of the Course of Empire. Thoughts, &c.: Schroon scenery; musings on nature; monument to Washington; want of a congenial spirit; true lovers of nature few. Spirits of the Wilderness, a poem. (page 147)
CHAPTER 22 Thoughts and Occurrences: a new year. First winter in Catskill. An Attachment. To Mr. Reed: ornamental designs for doors. To the Same: the fourth of the Course of Empire begun. To the Same: how far advanced. To the Same: difficulties of the third picture. To the Same: the fifth picture proposed for the approaching exhibition of the Academy of Design. To the Same: the third picture finished. To the Same: motives to labour; maledictions on tree-destroyers. To the Same: nature of the malediction. To Mr. Durand: sickness of Mr. Reed. To the Same: effect upon Cole's spirits. Thoughts, &c.: cares of life. To Mr. Durand. Thoughts, &c.: death of Mr. Reed. Thoughts, &c.: beauty of the season; a walk up the Catskill river. To Mr. Durand: the fourth picture. To the Same: country air for a painter. Thoughts, &c.: completion of the Course of Empire. (page 155)
CHAPTER 23 Cooper's opinion of Cole and his pictures. Remarks on the Course of Empire. Cole's marriage. (page 166)
CHAPTER 24 Commission for the Departure and Return. Thoughts and occurrences: Retrospection; pictures painted; death of his father; visit to Schroon Lake; scenery; song of a spirit. To Mr. Van Rensselaer: the Departure and Return. Thoughts, &c.: autumn; the dying year. To Mr. Van Rensselaer: description of the Departure and Return. Bryant's criticism. Thoughts, &c.: Death of his mother. (page 176)
CHAPTER 25 To Mr. Durand: his Rip Van Winkle; Schroon Mountain picture. Thoughts and Occurrences: poetic musings. To Mr. Durand: Conrad and Medora; Coleridge's "Love," a subject for a picture. Pictures for Mr. Stuyvesant. To Mr. Durand: pictures. To the same: painting the Dream of Arcadia. The Dream of Arcadia. (page 184)
CHAPTER 26 Thoughts and occurrences: spring; the fields; his own works compared with the old; discouragements; the ruined tower. To Mr. Adams: Cole an architect. To Mr. Durand: the critics. Thoughts, &c.: the summer; the landscape; vine in the grove. To Mr. Durand. To Mr. Adams: designs for the State-house. Thoughts, &c.: excursion to Schoharie; to High Peak. To Dr. Ackerly; home amusements. (page 195)
CHAPTER 27 Thoughts and Occurrences: winter in the city; commission for the Voyage of Life; the season. To Mr. Adams: Ohio State-house. To Mrs. Cole: Canandaigua. Genesee Waterfall. To Mr. Ward: the Voyage of Life. Thoughts, &c.: death of Mr. Ward. To Mr. Durand: a new paintingroom. Thoughts, &c.: religious musings. (page 203)
CHAPTER 28 Thoughts and occurrences: the new year; to his son. To Mr. Ver Bryck: first picture of the Voyage of Life. Thoughts, &c.: birth-day. To Mr. Adams: Daguerreotype. To the Rev. Mr. Phillips of the Voyage of Life. To Mr. Durand: the Architect's Dream. Thoughts, &c.: spirit of the Gothic artists. Description of the Voyage of Life. Bryant's remarks on the series. Spiritual meaning of his pictures. (page 208)
CHAPTER 29 Thoughts and Occurrences: Birth-day. To Mr. Adams: the season. Thoughts, &c.: Beauty of summer; Canoe Lake; flowers; a complaint. Determination to re-visit Europe. Remarks on the duplicate series of the Voyage of Life painted at Rome. To Mrs. Cole: eve of embarkation. (page 218)
CHAPTER 30 To Mrs. Cole: thoughts of home. To the same: Kenilworth Castle; Warwick Castle; Stratford. To the Same: the Louvre. Journal: N. Poussin; Correggio; spirituality of the earlier painters. Thoughts, &c.: thoughts on the works of the old masters. Journal: Neufchatel; distant Alps; Bernese Alps. To Miss Maria Cooke: of Switzerland. Journal: Vaucluse. (page 224)
CHAPTER 31 To Mrs. Cole: at Rome again. Thoughts, &c.: retrospection. To Mrs. Cole: commences the second Series of the Voyage of Life; life at Rome. To the same: New Year's Day; Tasso's face; invitation to a prince's party. To Ver Bryck: Rome; recollections. To Mrs. Cole: gaieties; Prince Torlonia's party; Princess Doria; French embassador's party; flowers. Journal: Catacombs of St. Agnes. To Mr. Durand; anticipations of Sicily. Thoughts, &c.: Thorwaldsen. To Mrs. Cole: the Vatican by torch-light. To the same: the pictures finished; the miserere; anticipations of home. (page 232)
CHAPTER 32 Journal: south of Italy. Tour of Sicily: Taormina; ascent of Ætna. Journal: Milan; The Last Supper. Lago Maggiore. Down the Rhine: an adventure. To Sarah Cole: on the eve of embarking for America. (page 242)
CHAPTER 33 To Mr. Greene; the Catskills. Thoughts, &c.: arrival at home; the beautiful, the true. Cole a member of the church. To Mr. Edmonds; picture of Mount Ætna. Thoughts, &c.: New Year's Day. To Mr. Greene; art, artists. To Ver Bryck. To the Same; art, critics. Thoughts, &c.: associations. (page 249)
CHAPTER 34 Thoughts and Occurrences: the Falls of the Caterskill in winter; winter; pictures painted. The Ministration of Angels. Thoughts, &c.: Allston. A sunset. (page 257)
CHAPTER 35 Picture of Ætna from Taormina. To Mrs. Cole: the Sketch Club. To Mr. Parker; L'Allegro and Il Penseroso. Campagna di Roma. To Mr. Wadsworth: proposed pictures, Sowing and Reaping; Life, Death, and Immortality. To Mrs. Cole: the Mill at Sunset. To the Same: Moon over the left Shoulder. Poem of the Voyage of Life. Thoughts, &c.: death of Ver Bryck. Pictures of 1845-6. To Mrs. Cole: the Elijah. Church, the painter. Twilight. (page 264)
CHAPTER 36 Thoughts and Occurrences: anticipations of a great work; birth-day; the Tread of Time; death in the family; lost time. Excursion to the Shawangunk. Excursion to South Peak. A new studio. Its views. Excursion to the Adirondack Mountains. Thoughts, &c.: Christmas-day; birth-day; death in the family. Niagara. To Mr. Falconer: sculpture and painting. Thoughts, &c.: New Year's-day; the season. Cole's last letter: mental and moral habits of artists. Thoughts, &c.: Cole's last notes. (page 274)
CHAPTER 37 Cole's mental maturity. Cole, a master. His great works yet in anticipation. Feelings with respect to those already accomplished. The consolation for their moral defects found in his hopes of a future, and his greatest work. Pictures preceding it. Pictures succeeding it. Conception of the Cross and the World. The Prometheus Vinctus, and Proserpine gathering flowers in the fields of Enna. (page 286)
CHAPTER 38 The Voyage of Life, an exponent of his religious faith at the time it was painted. The Cross and the World, the exponent of a ripened and true faith. Its theology. First picture of the Cross and the World. The second picture, the Trial of Faith. Its unity. Feeling with which it was painted. Its characteristics. (page 291)
CHAPTER 39 Manner of life in his last days. Book on art. A volume of poems. Life out of doors. His conversation. Favourite topics. Ripeness of his Christian character. The Triumph of faith, the last of the pilgrim of the Cross. Painted in solitude. Miltonic in its character. The Lord is my Shepherd, last pure landscape. As a work of art. An Italian pine in the Proserpine, his last painting. Death. (page 298)
Conclusion (page 307)
Notes (page 313)
Paintings Mentioned in the Text (page 327)
Index (page 329)

Citable Link

Published: 1964

Publisher: Harvard University Press

ISBN(s)

9780674332775 (ebook)

Series

The John Harvard Library

Subject

American: 1789-1899

The life and works of Thomas Cole

Contents

Stats