The artists involved in the Hudson River School were brought together by their deep love of nature in landscape. They felt the wondrous natural beauty of the gorges and highlands found in the Hudson River Valley were "direct manifestations" of God, and they sought to render and paint exactly what they saw.

Artists of the Hudson River School found the landscapes in America more inspirational than the widely-painted landscapes of Europe. They also agreed that a landscape was a greater art form than a protrait or historical narrative.

The Hudson River School was part of the Romantic period in the United States which began about 1825 and ended about 1875. Some of the most famous artists from the school are Winslow Homer, Fredric Church and Thomas Cole.

[Example Images?]

Howat, John. The Hudson River and its Painters. New York: Viking Press: 1972.

Jones, Hasley. Hudson River School. Geneva: Humphrey Press, 1968.

Sears, Clara. The Highlights Among the Hudson River Artists. Boston: Houghtin, Miflin: 1947.

Paul Schweizer, 19th Century Curator
Munson Williams Proctor Institute
Utica, New York

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