Picturing America: Thomas Cole and the Birth of American Art

July 15, 2018
Watercolorist and illustrator Talbott, a Cole admirer and evangelist, has produced a child-friendly paean to the brief (1801-1848) but productive life of an American landscape-painting pioneer. Born in Britain, Cole immigrated to the United States as a teen, worked as an itinerant craftsman, and began art studies in Philadelphia before moving to New York. Soon, prompted by a patron, Cole took his first voyage up the Hudson and discovered his passion for the American landscape. Though his life was brief, his dramatic paintings struck a deep chord and spawned a wholly new, uniquely American "school"--the Hudson River landscape school. Talbott's admiration is clear, but backmatter is sorely needed: There is no glossary, no timeline, and little detail to help readers grasp the impressive size and ambition of Cole's two major painting series: The Course of Empire (five paintings at 39.5 inches by 63.5 inches each) and The Voyage of Life (four paintings at approximately 52 inches by 72 inches each). Readers will long for context to flesh out cursory references to such influences as England's J.M.W. Turner, mentor American artist John Trumbull, and Cole's artistic progeny, Asher Durand and Frederic Church, as well as the Hudson River landscape school itself. This notwithstanding, Talbott has produced a handsome, valuable companion to River of Dreams (2009) and an accessible and inspired introduction to an important, influential promoter of the unspoiled American landscape. (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

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August 1, 2018

Gr 2-4-Few artists have been able to capture the magic and timeless beauty of the U.S. landscape better than Thomas Cole. He loved to draw from a young age, and when his family settled in Pennsylvania from England, Cole continued to sharpen his artistic skills. Life was a struggle for the family, but he nevertheless pursued his dream of becoming an artist, eventually traveling to New York City to integrate himself into the bustling arts community there. But he longed for the rolling hills of England, so he made his way up through the Hudson River Valley, and history was made: Cole was so captivated by the beauty and majesty of the Catskills landscape that it became the subject of his work and made him the founder of the Hudson River School art movement. As industrialization continued, Cole's art inspired viewers to appreciate and conserve our country's natural lands. The book offers excellent reproductions of Cole's work: text, illustrations, and reproductions combine to trace the evolution of Cole's art and the progression of the Hudson River Movement, including its implications for modern art. VERDICT Readers will fall in love with landscape in this captivating, inspiring picture book. A fine addition to art history collections.-Natalie Romano, Denver Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 10, 2018
When the industrial revolution limited Thomas Cole’s family’s economic opportunities in England, his dream of coming to America was realized. Life was not easy for a young U.S. immigrant in the 19th century, however. In visual vignettes rendered in mixed-media art, Talbott depicts Cole traveling on foot, sleeping in derelict conditions, and finding salvation through moments spent painting. While taking a steamer trip up the Hudson River, Cole discovered his muse in the striking landscape. He would infuse his paintings of the American wilderness with majesty and romance—characteristics that helped lead to environmental protections in the Hudson Valley. Talbott integrates images from Cole’s oeuvre, including the four paintings from the Voyage of Life series. Ages 6–8.

August 1, 2018
Grades K-3 Artist Thomas Cole left England as a young man. The Industrial Revolution had taken his family's jobs and was destroying the bucolic countryside he loved. Though he had a tough time making a living here as well, he remained devoted to his paintings, and when he visited the Catskills in upstate New York, he found a subject he wanted to paint for the rest of his life: the unspoiled beauty of the American landscape. Talbott, who wrote about the same area in River of Dreams? (2009), does a fine job of capturing an artist's life, while at the same time offering a history lesson on the natural beauty of the country, as well as an early push to protect the environment. Cole, instrumental in the formation of the Hudson River School, is shown here in light-hearted illustrations and in dramatic full-page paintings. Reproductions of his works appear on several pages, but size constraints make it difficult to fully grasp their power. However, aided by the back matter, many intrigued readers will happily search out more.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)