The American RenaissanceThe American Renaissance

Rise of the American Art FormRise of the American Art Form

Rising ProsperityRising Prosperity• Technology improved quality of lifeTechnology improved quality of life• Lowered prices of goodsLowered prices of goods• Rise in average worker’s purchasing powerRise in average worker’s purchasing power

• Increased factory productivity led to more hoursIncreased factory productivity led to more hours• Growth of cities offered more opportunities Growth of cities offered more opportunities

for year-round work (compared to agricultural for year-round work (compared to agricultural labor)labor)

• Rise of cities increased paid labor for women Rise of cities increased paid labor for women and childrenand children

• Cities provided more $ opportunities & Cities provided more $ opportunities & attracted more peopleattracted more people

Quality of LifeQuality of Life• Little improvement for the urban poorLittle improvement for the urban poor

• Crowded tenementsCrowded tenements• RR’s transported fresh foodRR’s transported fresh food• Urban waterworks started providing waterUrban waterworks started providing water

• Still not common & not matched by sewersStill not common & not matched by sewers• Major epidemicsMajor epidemics

• Cholera, yellow feverCholera, yellow fever• Transportation actually helped spread diseasesTransportation actually helped spread diseases

• Anesthesia improved surgical proceduresAnesthesia improved surgical procedures• William Morton uses ether in 1846William Morton uses ether in 1846

• Infections from wounds or surgery still a Infections from wounds or surgery still a problemproblem

HealthHealth• Greater emphasis on diet and exerciseGreater emphasis on diet and exercise• Sylvester Graham – more veggies, less meatSylvester Graham – more veggies, less meat

• Believed meat eaters were more lustful and Believed meat eaters were more lustful and aggressiveaggressive

• Popularity reflected desire for better lifePopularity reflected desire for better life• Some scientific fads were strangeSome scientific fads were strange

• Phrenology = development of brain determined Phrenology = development of brain determined skull shapeskull shape

• Believed a person’s character could be judged by Believed a person’s character could be judged by the shape of their headthe shape of their head

• Some negative applications of phrenologySome negative applications of phrenology

Mid-19Mid-19thth Century Pastimes Century Pastimes• Reading - fiction and newspapersReading - fiction and newspapers

• Penny Press (James Gordon Bennett)Penny Press (James Gordon Bennett)• inexpensive with mass appealinexpensive with mass appeal• New York HeraldNew York Herald• Focus on crime coverage & human interestFocus on crime coverage & human interest• Birth of the modern pressBirth of the modern press

• Theater – diverse styles (even Shakespeare)Theater – diverse styles (even Shakespeare)• Minstrel Shows – variety shows that usually Minstrel Shows – variety shows that usually

lampooned blackslampooned blacks• P.T. Barnum & the “American Museum”P.T. Barnum & the “American Museum”

American RenaissanceAmerican Renaissance• Started c. 1820’sStarted c. 1820’s• Prior – most writers & artists mimicked Prior – most writers & artists mimicked

European worksEuropean works• Euros contemptuous of American artEuros contemptuous of American art

• 1800 – U.S. authors a negligible proportion of 1800 – U.S. authors a negligible proportion of output of U.S. publishersoutput of U.S. publishers

• 1830 – about 30% American1830 – about 30% American• 1850 – 75%1850 – 75%• Greater effort to depict features of U.S. in artGreater effort to depict features of U.S. in art

• A quest for nationality in artA quest for nationality in art

American RenaissanceAmerican Renaissance

• Based on romanticismBased on romanticism• Literary works emotionally charged, Literary works emotionally charged,

reflecting inner feelingsreflecting inner feelings

• A democratization of literatureA democratization of literature• No classical education required to No classical education required to

write or read fictionwrite or read fiction• Many antebellum works written by Many antebellum works written by

womenwomen

The WritersThe Writers• James Fenimore CooperJames Fenimore Cooper

• 11stst to introduce a distinctively American character to introduce a distinctively American character• Frontiersman Natty Bumppo – “Leatherstocking Tales”Frontiersman Natty Bumppo – “Leatherstocking Tales”• Last of the Mohicans (1826), The Pathfinder (1840)Last of the Mohicans (1826), The Pathfinder (1840)

• Ralph Waldo Emerson - essayistRalph Waldo Emerson - essayist• A transcendentalist – off-shoot of romanticismA transcendentalist – off-shoot of romanticism• Knowledge of reality derived from intuition, not Knowledge of reality derived from intuition, not

sensual experiencesensual experience• Henry David Thoreau – Henry David Thoreau –

• ““Civil Disobedience” (1849) – citizen’s right to Civil Disobedience” (1849) – citizen’s right to disobey unjust lawsdisobey unjust laws

• Walden (1854) – Walden (1854) – a reexamination of life’s purposea reexamination of life’s purpose• Self-reflectionSelf-reflection

The WritersThe Writers

• Margaret Fuller – transcendentalist writerMargaret Fuller – transcendentalist writer• Woman in the Nineteenth Century Woman in the Nineteenth Century (1845)(1845)

• Women cannot achieve personal fulfillment Women cannot achieve personal fulfillment without developing intellectual abilitieswithout developing intellectual abilities

• Walt Whitman – PoetWalt Whitman – Poet• Leaves of Grass Leaves of Grass (1855)(1855)

• Free verse poetry with blunt language Free verse poetry with blunt language

FictionFiction• Nathaniel HawthorneNathaniel Hawthorne

• The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter (1850) (1850)• Edgar Allen PoeEdgar Allen Poe

• The Murders in the Rue Morgue The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841)(1841)• The Cask of Amontillado The Cask of Amontillado (1846)(1846)• The Raven The Raven (poem – 1844)(poem – 1844)

• Herman MelvilleHerman Melville• Moby-Dick Moby-Dick (1851)(1851)

• All tended to be pessimistic about humanity – All tended to be pessimistic about humanity – probed the mental state of their charactersprobed the mental state of their characters• Uniquely American style focusing in moral dilemmasUniquely American style focusing in moral dilemmas

The Literary MarketplaceThe Literary Marketplace• Unlike earlier writers who shunned Unlike earlier writers who shunned

commercialism, American Renaissance commercialism, American Renaissance writers sought income & recognitionwriters sought income & recognition• Poe wrote for magazinesPoe wrote for magazines• Emerson, Thoreau & Melville lectured at Emerson, Thoreau & Melville lectured at

lyceums for fees and expenseslyceums for fees and expenses

• Higher literacy due to co-educational Higher literacy due to co-educational public schools widened audience, public schools widened audience, especially womenespecially women• Most popular form of fiction – sentimental Most popular form of fiction – sentimental

novelsnovels

The Hudson River SchoolThe Hudson River School• Not a school, but a movement (1820’s-70’s)Not a school, but a movement (1820’s-70’s)• Focused mainly on landscapesFocused mainly on landscapes

• Thomas ColeThomas Cole• Asher DurandAsher Durand• Frederick ChurchFrederick Church• Albert BierstedtAlbert Bierstedt

• Started in Hudson River region but spreadStarted in Hudson River region but spread• Emphasized emotional effect over accuracyEmphasized emotional effect over accuracy• Many sought to preserve passing Many sought to preserve passing

wildernesswilderness

Landscape ArchitectureLandscape Architecture

• Creation of pockets of nature in Creation of pockets of nature in urban settingsurban settings

• ““spiritual refreshment” for city spiritual refreshment” for city dwellersdwellers

• Frederick Law Olmstead & Calvert Frederick Law Olmstead & Calvert VauxVaux• Central Park – NYCCentral Park – NYC• Hide the surrounding city Hide the surrounding city