Module 4
Thomas Cole, The Hunter’s Return, 1845, oil on canvas, 153.7 x 101.9 cm (Amon Carter Museum of American Art)
https://smarthistory.org/seeing-america-2/social-structures/
This
is an oil on canvas painting by Thomas Cole named “The Hunter’s Return”. This
original was done in 1845. This is a painting showing Europeans living off the
land of the new world “now North America”. The name of the painting being “The
Hunter’s Return” the main subject is a pair of hunters returning from the
forest carrying some kind of animal tied by the legs strapped to two branches
that the men rest on their shoulders returning back to the cottage. Even though
the painting is named this the men are a small portion of the painting. The
painting is showing off the beauty of the land around them. The sun is setting
on the left of the painting, drawing shadows on the land from the trees. The left
side of the painting is dark from the shadows as the right side is lit up as
the sun shines through an opening over a body of water in the background. The
season appears to be early fall as the pine trees are still green but the
others yellow and red. Other futures of the background are a plateau behind the
body of water and then behind the plateau a massive mountain in the distance
that reaches into the skies. The sky is mostly clear but a few scattered small
clouds exist. If you look closely you can see other people working on the land
closer to the small cottage on the right side of the painting. One crosses a
log bridge over a river.
The
two things I'm analyzing in this painting is the lighting and use of shadows. I
already hit on these but to reiterate about them the lighting gives the
painting a certain warmth and the shadows draw attention away from the people
and bring it to the land.
I
think this painting was simply about showing the Europeans settling and living
off the new world’s land. Also to show the beauty of the land in general.
“Social Structures.”
Smarthistory. Accessed February 5, 2021.
https://smarthistory.org/seeing-america-2/social-structures/.
It is definitely noticeable that the men carrying the dead animal are not the focal point of this painting like you pointed out. I could not agree more that the painter is showing off the beauty of the land around the men. I like that you pointed out that the sun is setting and that is the reason for the shadows on the ground from the trees. I like the way the painter has shown the great distance between the foreground and the background with muted earth tones to display the Mountain being far way. I love the way that there are not only people working the land but people that went out hunting, it really shows the way that people work together in a vast new land. Do you think the painter painted it from experience or just visualizing it?
ReplyDeleteYour post was very detailed and explained vey well. I like how you gave me an imagery of the sun setting on the left, the body of water, the season of the year, the type of trees, etc. I don't think you could do anything to make it better. Great work.
ReplyDeleteNoah,
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job in describing this painting which helped me to further understand its composition. Your interpretation also brings the viewer into the context in which the artwork was made. The artist’s observation to detail makes the painting very realistic. There is a lot of activity in this painting and every part of the painting is interesting to look at. This brings about balance, movement, proportion, variety, rhythm, and unity to the composition.