American Democratic American Democratic CultureCulture

Romanticism in AmericaRomanticism in America

• Industry and ambition were dominant themes Industry and ambition were dominant themes in American society in the 1830-1850sin American society in the 1830-1850s

• People were looking for something differentPeople were looking for something different– Interest in nature Interest in nature – Interest in Native AmericansInterest in Native Americans– Drew on instinct & feelings rather than intelligenceDrew on instinct & feelings rather than intelligence– Jacksonian democracy played into thisJacksonian democracy played into this

•Self-confidenceSelf-confidence

•Glorification of the ordinary “Cool to be Common”Glorification of the ordinary “Cool to be Common”

America Needed a Cultural America Needed a Cultural IdentityIdentity

• After the War of 1812, America After the War of 1812, America gained confidence as a nation gained confidence as a nation politically, economically, & militarilypolitically, economically, & militarily– However, American cultural expression However, American cultural expression

was in the process of developingwas in the process of developing

• America had a distinct culture, sort America had a distinct culture, sort of a wilderness feel, romanticof a wilderness feel, romantic

TranscendentalistsTranscendentalists• To live a spiritual life you must transcend the five To live a spiritual life you must transcend the five

senses and live by emotion and intuition…feelings senses and live by emotion and intuition…feelings rather than facts.rather than facts.– EmersonEmerson

• Industrial society bothered him.. made people focus only on Industrial society bothered him.. made people focus only on work and did not allow them to live their lives. work and did not allow them to live their lives.

• Walk in the woods is the only religion one needsWalk in the woods is the only religion one needs• People should be self-reliant.. so the less government we People should be self-reliant.. so the less government we

have the better. have the better. Very democraticVery democratic– ThoreauThoreau

• Wrote Wrote Walden PondWalden Pond – withdrew from society for two years, – withdrew from society for two years, wrote about experiencewrote about experience

• Resistance to Civil GovernmentResistance to Civil Government – don’t obey unjust laws – don’t obey unjust laws• Everyone should have a voice, but Everyone should have a voice, but democracydemocracy is dangerous is dangerous

if everyone thinks the same way… concerned that robotic if everyone thinks the same way… concerned that robotic lifestyles would do this to people.lifestyles would do this to people.

– Painters: Cole, DurandPainters: Cole, Durand

TraditionalistsTraditionalists

• Believed America was becoming Believed America was becoming disconnected from its past. No antiquity to disconnected from its past. No antiquity to America like there was in Europe. We need America like there was in Europe. We need to remember our roots.to remember our roots.

• Washington Irving – Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip van Washington Irving – Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip van WinkleWinkle

– Wrote about the Dutch in New YorkWrote about the Dutch in New York

• James F Cooper – finance & banking had no heart, James F Cooper – finance & banking had no heart, Wrote Last of the Mohicans, The DeerslayerWrote Last of the Mohicans, The Deerslayer

– writes about heroic Americawrites about heroic America– romanticized life in the wildernessromanticized life in the wilderness

The Democrats – Art for the The Democrats – Art for the common mancommon man

• Walt Whitman – poetWalt Whitman – poet– A common manA common man– wrote about down to wrote about down to

earth topicsearth topics– He could use common He could use common

language poeticallylanguage poetically– Made him very popularMade him very popular

• George Bingham – George Bingham – painted the common painted the common manman

The Skeptics The Skeptics

• These guys lived tough lives These guys lived tough lives and it came out in their and it came out in their writings.writings.– PoePoe

• Orphaned at threeOrphaned at three• Haunted by melancholy and Haunted by melancholy and

hallucinationshallucinations• One of the earliest detective & One of the earliest detective &

science fiction novelistsscience fiction novelists– Hawthorne Hawthorne

• Had Puritan sensibilities and Had Puritan sensibilities and believed one must work for believed one must work for salvationsalvation

• wrote Scarlet Letter - 1850wrote Scarlet Letter - 1850– Melville Melville

• Moby DickMoby Dick• America is Ahab, pursuing America is Ahab, pursuing

ambition and it’s breaking the ambition and it’s breaking the country apart.country apart.

Portrait ArtistsPortrait Artists

Charles Wilson PealeCharles Wilson Peale• Portrait of Thomas JeffersonPortrait of Thomas Jefferson

• Helped establish the Pennsylvania Helped establish the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine ArtsAcademy of Fine Arts

Gilbert StuartGilbert Stuart

• Portrait of George Portrait of George WashingtonWashington

• Most technically Most technically accomplished early accomplished early American painterAmerican painter

• Has a Roman feel – Has a Roman feel – the Republicthe Republic

Hudson River SchoolHudson River School

Romantic landscapesRomantic landscapes

Thomas ColeThomas Cole

• Romantic landscapesRomantic landscapes

Asher B. DurandAsher B. Durand• Painted landscapesPainted landscapes

• Hudson River SchoolHudson River School

ImpressionistsImpressionists

• Early Impressionists did not follow Early Impressionists did not follow standard approaches to painting like standard approaches to painting like portrait artistsportrait artists– They used free brushed strokes rather They used free brushed strokes rather

than detailed linesthan detailed lines– They tended to paint outside their They tended to paint outside their

studios and on locationstudios and on location– Used colorsUsed colors

Mary CassattMary Cassatt

• Portrait paintingPortrait painting

• impressionistimpressionist

Frederic RemingtonFrederic Remington

• Western genreWestern genre

• When you think of Remington - Think When you think of Remington - Think horseshorses

Winslow HomerWinslow Homer

• Water colorsWater colors

• ImpressionismImpressionism

• Painted water scenesPainted water scenes

James WhistlerJames Whistler

• American RealismAmerican Realism

Matt BradyMatt Brady

• PhotographyPhotography

• Civil War realistCivil War realist

• Portraits as wellPortraits as well