Previous Exhibitions

In celebrating the work of Kim Keever, Jean-Pierre Roy and Sayaka Suzuki, MOCA looks back to the historical traditions of landscape painting in America. MOCA is exhibiting two paintings from Hudson River Valley landscape painters, William Trost Richards and Thomas Hill. The Hudson River School has been recognized as the first uniquely American genre. As the prevailing style of landscape painting in the 19th century, Hudson River artists were not limited to a geographical location. Rather, they were a loosely organized group of landscape artists who were exploring the American continents through their work.

America was still in its infancy in the 1800's. Many of its citizens had not seen any of the wild beauty that lay beyond their own town or state. Hudson River School painters strove to capture and share America's awe-inspiring vistas. In doing so, they were able to help establish a national identity and validate the belief that the United States was destined to expand to the West.

Hudson River School artists often shared a similar approach to their paintings as is indicated by the paintings presented here. Hudson River landscapes were painted large-scale, rendered with realistic detail and with dramatic lighting. Natural elements were used to layer meaning. For example, the fallen tree in Early Morning, Yosemite Valley might have been interpreted as a symbol of the divine plan of loss and renewal. In their day, these works had the power to inspire a sense of awe and wonder. Today, they continue to inspire Contemporary artists and a elicit feelings of nostalgia for a country whose lands have yet to be conquered.

The paintings were borrowed from the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA.