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Frederic Church (1826–1900, United States), Icebergs, 1863.Oil on canvas, 8.25 x 14.29 cm (3 1/4" x 5 5/8"). © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (MFAB-240) |
The 15th
of April was the 101st anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. In order not to dwell on that
morbid subject (but to relate it to art) I’m showing you all one of a series of
paintings Frederic Church did on icebergs. Church,
the only person to ever be taken as a student by Hudson
River School “guru” Thomas Cole (1801–1848)
produced a unique series of dramatic paintings of nature that he observed, as
well as composite landscapes for dramatic purposes. The Hudson River School
style was basically Romantic Realism.
Church’s interest in the Arctic began with the search for
Sir John Franklin (died 1847), a British explorer whose expedition to the
Arctic ended with the death of crews of two ships, and the search for the
bodies of the crews in the following decade. Church’s paintings already
emphasized the power and grandeur or nature, and the Arctic north with its ice
flows and icebergs fascinated him. He produced several paintings on the iceberg
theme from sketches he had seen by actual later expedition participants. He
eventually booked passage in 1859 on a ship to the Arctic to study icebergs
first hand. The result of that trip was a collaborative book chronicling the
trip through the Northwest Passage, called After Icebergs with a Painter. This painting is based on that sojourn, although I am
doubtful that this is the iceberg that sank the Titanic! What I love about this painting is how Church endows all of
nature with an awe-inspiring glory through his dramatic placement of the
subject and lighting. If I ever see an iceberg in real life and it looks like
the ones in the Church painting, I would definitely be awed!
Born in Connecticut, Church was the son of a wealthy
businessman. Although his father wanted him to become a businessman or doctor,
Church pursued his desire to be an artist. In 1842 and 1843 he studied with
local landscape painters in Hartford. Accepting his son’s career choice,
Church’s father arranged for him to have two years of lessons with Thomas Cole
in New York starting in 1844. He was the only pupil Cole ever accepted for
instruction. This would give him an advantage over other aspiring young
painters at the time.
Church immediately distinguished himself through his
meticulous, detail drawings of the natural world. His eye for detail far exceeded
Cole’s: elements of nature being examined seemingly microscopically. Church
exhibited for the first time at the National Academy of Design at the age of
nineteen, where he exhibited throughout his career. In 1849, at twenty-three,
he became the youngest artist ever elected to full membership in the National
Academy. By that point he had established himself as the most promising of
up-and-coming young painters.
This painting is most
likely a study for a larger work. I’ve seen it in person—it’s little bigger
than a postcard, so most likely not meant to be a finished work. What’s amazing
about it is the atmosphere of being in the cold Arctic Ocean at sunset and
seeing these magnificent mountains of ice. Here’s a modern interpretation on
the subject.
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Robert Moskowitz (born 1935, United States), Iceberg, 1987. Pastel on black paper, 101 x 284.5 cm. Museum of Modern Art, New York. © Robert Moskowitz. (MOMA-P3077) |
Studio activity: A
landscape painting representing something that you find awe inspiring; be it
because of dramatic lighting, weather, or view. Choose a photograph from a
magazine of a landscape or of a painting of a landscape with dramatic impact.
Make notes about the desired colors and shapes. Create a dramatic landscape
using colors and shapes, including warm or cool colors or geometric or organic
shapes. Use crayons to blend the various shapes and colors together for a
harmonious composition. Remember to use a consistent light source in order to
enhance drama in the composition.
Correlations to Davis
programs: Explorations in Art Grade 2 1.3; Explorations in Art Grade 4:
4.21, 4.22; Explorations in Art Grade 5: 4.20, 2.19; A Global Pursuit: 7.2; A
Community Connection: 4.4; Exploring Visual Design: 9; Discovering Art History:
12. 2.
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