Eras in Art

HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL (1825–1870s) 

Thomas Cole’s 1836 View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow showcases two sides of nature: one overgrown and wild, the other tame and peaceful. A stormy sky extends over the untamed area. Radiant, calm light shines on the farmland scene in the distance.

Cole was among the founders of one of the first truly American art movements, the Hudson River School. This loosely affiliated group of 19th-century artists painted landscapes in many parts of the country. At a time when most Americans lived on the East Coast, these works often served as advertisements for the country’s vast beauty. They also demonstrated that America itself could be a worthy subject.

HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL (1825–1870s)

The 1836 painting above is by Thomas Cole. It’s called View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow. The work showcases two sides of nature. One is overgrown and wild, and the other is tame and peaceful. A stormy sky covers the wild area. Calm light shines on the farmland nearby.

Cole co-founded the first truly American art movement, called the Hudson River School. This group of 19th-century artists painted landscapes. These works showed the vast beauty of the country.

HARLEM RENAISSANCE (1917–1930s)

Romare Bearden moved to Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City, as a child in 1914. There he met many famous figures of the Harlem Renaissance, a great flourishing of art, music, literature, fashion, and more. These different creative forms echoed and complemented one another. The artists shared a desire to make work that proudly depicted the Black experience.

Bearden’s 1974 collage immortalizes Bessie Smith, a famous blues and jazz singer. Like a jazz song, Empress of the Blues explores rhythm. But since the collage is a visual medium, the rhythms come from shapes, colors, and patterns. It is an exuberant celebration of America’s Black culture.

HARLEM RENAISSANCE (1917–1930s)

Romare Bearden moved to Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City, as a child in 1914. There he met many famous figures of the Harlem Renaissance. This movement was an explosion of art, music, literature, fashion, and other creative forms. The artists wanted to depict the Black experience with pride.

Bearden’s 1974 collage is called Empress of the Blues. It portrays Bessie Smith, a famous blues and jazz singer. Empress of the Blues explores rhythm. But the rhythms come from shapes, colors, and patterns instead of sounds.

ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM (1940s–1950s)

During World War II, some American artists abandoned representation for abstraction. This means that rather than portraying a recognizable landscape or person, they painted what they felt—and aimed to make the viewer feel too.

Abstract Expressionist artists embraced the physicality of painting to express intense emotions. Art-making techniques came to the fore, and many artists worked at an enormous scale. Pollock dripped, splattered, and splashed paint while walking around huge canvases he placed flat on the floor. He relished spontaneity and improvisation. His 1950 Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist) hums with energy. How does it make you feel?

ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM (1940s–1950s)

During World War II, some American artists left representation behind. They turned to abstraction. This means that they didn’t portray recognizable landscapes or people. Instead, they painted what they felt— and wanted the viewer to feel too.

Abstract Expressionist artists embraced the physical process of painting. Jackson Pollock used huge canvases he placed flat on the floor. Then he dripped, splattered, and splashed paint while walking around them. His 1950 Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist) is above.

POP ART (1950s–1970s)

Mickey Mouse is an instantly recognizable symbol of American culture and mass media—and a fitting subject for Andy Warhol. He explored fame and celebrity in his work. Advertising and popular culture inspired Warhol and his Pop Art contemporaries (“pop” is short for “popular culture”). They often incorporated familiar images into their art, sometimes approvingly and sometimes ironically or disparagingly.

Warhol used a printmaking process called silk screen. He could reproduce images quickly for works like his 1981 Quadrant Mickey Mouse. The repetition emphasizes consumerism and the mass production of goods. Pop Art took off as the American economy was booming.

Don’t forget: These are only four original American art movements out of many. And there are still more to come, as contemporary artists explore the present and look toward the future.

POP ART (1950s–1970s)

Most people recognize Mickey Mouse instantly. Advertising and popular culture inspired Pop artists like Andy Warhol. (“Pop” is short for “popular.”) They often used familiar images in their art. Sometimes it was to celebrate those images. But other times it was to mock them.

Warhol used a printmaking process called silk screening to reproduce images quickly. He did this for his 1981 Quadrant Mickey Mouse. Pop Art took off as the American economy was booming. The repetition suggests that Mickey is being mass produced.

Don’t forget: These are only four of many American art movements. And there are many more to come.