“Art” is not a timeless word. The meaning evolves over time to include new creations. Just as we see in the late 19th century the word “American” was evolving, the word “art” was also becoming more inclusive.
Pre-Industrial Revolution the most traditional consideration of art was oil on canvas. Realistic depictions of landscapes and portraits were the norm; this style was inspired by Western European culture. In the 18th century portraits were the only profitable paintings. Lloyd Goodrich discusses in “Landscape Painting in America” that aristocrats had no desire for art. They just had a desire to document their family through a portrait (Goodrich pg.97)[1]. It was difficult for artists to simply break the mold of portrait paintings, let alone move away from oil on canvas.
Commission was one of the biggest factors in the subject of art. Although artist are commissioned today, the idea of creating art and then putting it on an open market is much more prevalent today than 18th and 19th century. This contributes to the abundance of portrait art. It is also a cause of religious art, which was also prominent pre-Industrial Revolution. Churches commissioned paintings, architecture, and sculptures.
As the Industrial Revolution came upon us so did expansion of artistic liberty on canvas. There was a demand for high-end art that came from the Gilded Age’s new focus on extravagance (Goodrich pg. 104)[2]. The rich desired huge paintings with big price tags and this differed from the mentality 100 years earlier. Artists like Albert Bierstadt, Frederick Church and Thomas Moran thrived in this time period as demand for their work skyrocketed. Landscapes that depicted the West gained popularity as America expanded towards California with the help of the Rail Road.
American appreciation for art dramatically grew during this time and it expanded outside the canvas and into factories. Large machines became spectacles for people and they were viewed as art as we saw with the Corliss Steam Engine (shown above). The word “art” went through a dramatic inclusion of new mediums and the definition has transformed since the beginning of American culture.
[1] Lloyd Goodrich. Landscape Painting in America. The North American Review, Vol. 246, No. 1 (Autumn, 1938), pp. 96-117. Published by: University of Northern Iowa
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25115010
[2] Lloyd Goodrich. Landscape Painting in America.
Pre-Industrial Revolution the most traditional consideration of art was oil on canvas. Realistic depictions of landscapes and portraits were the norm; this style was inspired by Western European culture. In the 18th century portraits were the only profitable paintings. Lloyd Goodrich discusses in “Landscape Painting in America” that aristocrats had no desire for art. They just had a desire to document their family through a portrait (Goodrich pg.97)[1]. It was difficult for artists to simply break the mold of portrait paintings, let alone move away from oil on canvas.
Commission was one of the biggest factors in the subject of art. Although artist are commissioned today, the idea of creating art and then putting it on an open market is much more prevalent today than 18th and 19th century. This contributes to the abundance of portrait art. It is also a cause of religious art, which was also prominent pre-Industrial Revolution. Churches commissioned paintings, architecture, and sculptures.
As the Industrial Revolution came upon us so did expansion of artistic liberty on canvas. There was a demand for high-end art that came from the Gilded Age’s new focus on extravagance (Goodrich pg. 104)[2]. The rich desired huge paintings with big price tags and this differed from the mentality 100 years earlier. Artists like Albert Bierstadt, Frederick Church and Thomas Moran thrived in this time period as demand for their work skyrocketed. Landscapes that depicted the West gained popularity as America expanded towards California with the help of the Rail Road.
American appreciation for art dramatically grew during this time and it expanded outside the canvas and into factories. Large machines became spectacles for people and they were viewed as art as we saw with the Corliss Steam Engine (shown above). The word “art” went through a dramatic inclusion of new mediums and the definition has transformed since the beginning of American culture.
[1] Lloyd Goodrich. Landscape Painting in America. The North American Review, Vol. 246, No. 1 (Autumn, 1938), pp. 96-117. Published by: University of Northern Iowa
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25115010
[2] Lloyd Goodrich. Landscape Painting in America.