Table of Contents

Following the American Revolution, there was a drive within society to establish and celebrate a unique American culture. Authors began to write stories focusing on American characters set in the Unite States, like James Fennimore Cooper did. Artists also began to take inspiration from the new country. One Englishman, Thomas Cole, a twenty year old immigrant, began paintings featuring outdoor motifs that portrayed nature as the focus of the works. After exhibiting his work in New York City, he became the founder of the Hudson River School of landscape painting. This school loosely contained the works of many different painters and lasted about 50 years, covering the middle nineteenth century. The paintings produced in this school by such artists as Frederick Church, Jasper Cropsey, Asher B. Durand, J. Peale, and Cole showcased nature of the Hudson Valley, the Catskills, the White Mountains, the newly opened West, and parts of Europe. This pathfinder is needed because this was the first coherent school of American art, and very interesting to artists. American art and Impressionism are vast subjects. Without some kind of pathfinder, finding all of the important and good sources of information on this topic can be difficult. The goal of this pathfinder to provide a clear and accurate list of multimedia sources on this topic to all University at Albany students interested in art history, local history, or painting styles.

Table of Contents

All of the resources shown will be from the University at Albany libraries, or be available to the students of such. This pathfinder will provide lists of websites and Internet sources, books, reference materials, indexes, periodicals and journals, subject headings, and biographic information on the prominent artists of the movement. All sources are limited to the English language only.

Table of Contents

Below are some subject headings that can be used to search for items on the Hudson River School. These subjects can be used on the online catalog or on the Internet.

Table of Contents

Below are some Library of Congress call numbers to browse when looking for items on the Hudson River School.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

These resources offer background information on the Hudson River School movement and its artists. This is a good place to begin research on the topic, as they provide general information.

Campbell, Catherine H., and Blaine, Marcia Schmidt. New Hampshire Scenery: A Dictionary of Nineteenth-century Artists of New Hampshire Mountain Landscapes. Canaan, N.H.: Phoenix Publishing Co., 1985. 249p.
UALB ULIB N6530 N4 C36 1985

"This definitive reference work contains data on approximately 450 artists and well over 6,000 New Hampshire mountain landscape paintings and related graphic works during the nineteenth century."-New Hampshire State Library, 1985.

Chilvers, Ian, Osborne, Harold, and Farr, Dennis. The Oxford Dictionary of Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997. 647p.
UALB ULIB REF N 33 O93 1997

"Featuring a directory of museums and galleries around the world, a voluminous reference book contains more than three thousand articles on Western painting, sculpture, drawing, graphic arts, and applied arts, treating artists, schools, periods, techniques, critical terms, and more."--Ingram, 1997

Dempsey, Amy. Art in the Modern Era: A Guide to Styles, Schools & Movements. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2002. 304 p.
UALB ULIB OVER (*) N 6490 D415 2002

"The highly compact yet astute entries are freely cross-referenced, and a good fold-out time line allows for quick visual understanding features that help to clarify the web of relationships among burgeoning theories and practicing artists. In addition, each entry cites important collections and key sources for further study. European and North American painting, sculpture, architecture, a nd design are emphasized, as are installation, performance, sound, video, and Internet art. All major and minor movements are mentioned in this very comprehensive guide, which could easily become a standard for modern art survey courses, making it a sensible purchase for most libraries." - Library Journal, 2002

Gowing, Lawrence. A Biographical Dictionary of Artists. New York.: Facts on File, 1995. 784p.
UALB ULIB REF N 40 B53 1995 UALB ULIB DEWEY REF N 40 B53 1995

"This is a solid reference source that will have value for readers with little training in art. The clearly written entries are supported by the clarity of the chronological tables, the concision of the glossary, and the comprehensiveness of the name index. For libraries not owning the 1983 edition, the dictionary will be a helpful acquisition in public, high-school, and undergraduate libraries."-Booklist, 1995

Larousse (Firm). Larousse Dictionary of Painters. London: Hamlyn, 1981. 467 p.
UALB ULIB REF ND 35 L3713 1981B

"This English edition of Le Larousse des Grands Peintres (1976) is a convenient, attractive, and reliable source of biographical data on more than 550 Western painters from c. 1250 through 1970s. Alphabetically arranged entries are initialed and contain nationality; dates; an informative discussion of background, activity, and style; as well as one or more good-quality illustrations of the painter's work." - Library Journal, 1982

Meyers, Bernard S. ed. Encyclopedia of Painting: Painters and Painting of the World from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day. New York: Crown Publishers, 1979. 511 p.
UALB ULIB REF ND 30 E5 1979

"Within the number of words and illustrations prescribed by the aim of producing a portable and not to costly volume we have tried to give an all-over picture of the outstanding painters, movements, styles and techniques from the most ancient times to the present day…" - Preface

Turner, Jane. The Dictionary of Art. New York: Grove, 1996. 34v.
UALB ULIB REF N31 D5 1996 V.1-34

This ultimate art reference series covers every area of art as comprehensively as possible. It not only covers movements, and artists, but also examines works within the social, cultural, historical, religious, and economic contexts of their creation. This set of books has received some of the highest and best reviews of art reference books for its completeness and thoroughness. This series is an ideal place to begin a study of the Hudson River School in any aspect of its existence. It will provide valuable overviews and insights into this school.

NOTE: The Online Version is available to Faculty, Staff, and Students Only.

Table of Contents

This list offers other extensive resources on the Hudson River School and landscape painting. Some of the sources are more specific than those listed here, while others are more general.

Blazek, Ron, and Aversa, Elizabeth. The Humanities-Selective Guide to Information Resources. Englewood, CO.: Libraries Unlimited Inc., 2000. Chapters 7 and 8.
UALB DEWEY REF NX 170 Z999 R65 2000

This book provides sources for various forms fo arts, including painting. It describes different works by such categories as bibliographies, directories, encyclopedias, histories, biographies, catalogs, etc. It provides many general sources on landscape painting, which includes the Hudson River School.

Sullivan, Mark White. The Hudson River School: An Annotated Bibliography. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1991.

*This item is not available at the University at Albany, however it can be ordered by through interlibrary loan.

"Meant as a successor to the bibliography of the Hudson River School found in Volume two of Bernard Karpel's Arts in America: a bibliography (Archives of American Art, 1979). The purpose of this book is twofold: to fill some of the gaps that Karpel was forced, by considerations of time and space, to leave unfilled; and to record the great activity in Hudson River School studies that has taken place in the decade since the publication of Arts in America."-Booknews.com

Table of Contents

The following are good periodical sources that often publish articles on the Hudson River School, art history, and landscape painting. This is not an extensive list, other publications also publish on these topics, but these are a good starting point.

Art History. London; Boston: Routledge & K. Paul, 1978- quarterly.
UALB ULIB Per N 7480 A77 v.6, no.1- Mar.1983-

"Art History is the journal of the Association of Art Historians. As a scholarly publication, it presents research concerning all historical and theoretical aspects of art. Articles that explore the arts in their interdisciplinary context are encouraged. Consequently, this publication attracts a readership in related fields outside of art history as it seeks to consider related cultural, economic, and social issues as well. Illustrations are minimal, but appropriate. Librarians will especially appreciate the extensive book reviews."--Magazines for Libraries, 2000

American Art Journal. New York, Kennedy Galleries and Israel Sack, Inc., 1969-
UALB ULIB Per N 6505 A618

"American Art Journal provides scholarly articles about American art during the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries written by experts in the field. A variety of subjects may be covered in any given issue including painting, sculpture, prints, photography, and the decorative arts. Due to its occasional coverage of cultural history in the United States, this academic publication may also be beneficial to scholars in other disciplines. A typical issue usually contains three or four quite extensive articles accompanied by numerous black-and-white illustrations. American Art Journal will be most useful in research collections in academic libraries."--Magazines for Libraries, 2000

Table of Contents

One important element in the Hudson River School is the paintings themselves. These catalogs describe the paintings used in various exhibits. They provide valuable information on methods, themes, and subjects of the Hudson River School.

American Paradise: The World of the Hudson River School. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987. 347 p.
UALB ULIB OVER (*) ND 1351.5 A49 1987

"The excellent catalog of the exhibition organized by the Metropolitan Museum. The well-written essays, by Met curators, chart the 19th-century rise and fall of the first native school of landscape painting. The catalog includes most of the well known and many lesser-known Hudson River pictures, discussed in depth for both specialists and generalists. The book is well organized and well indexed, and, while not breaking great new ground, is highly recommended. The plates are generally good."- Library Journal, 1988

Driscoll, John Paul. All That is Glorious Around Us: Paintings From the Hudson River School on Loan From a Friend of the Museum of Art. University Park, Pa.: Museum of Art, Pennsylvania State University, 1981. 134 p.
UALB ULIB ND 1351.5 A44X

"Here we have the opportunity to see a broad survey of America's first native school of painting. One of the special qualities of this collection is that in addition to the great names one usually associates with the School--Cole, Durand, Kensett, Gifford, Church, and Cropsey--there are also fine, and in several cases, outstanding examples by lesser known artists, such as Ernest Lotichius, Clinton Ogilvie, and Arthur Quartlex."-Foreward, 1981

Harvey, Eleanor Jones. The Painted Sketch: American Impressions From Nature 1830-1880. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1998. 299 p.
UALB ULIB OVER(*) ND 1351.5 H27 1998

A unique catalog in that it covers the history of the movement, the ideas behind the nature themes and impressionism. It contains many color photos and goes into much detail on the works of Cole, Durand, Church, Whittredge, Bierstadt, Gifford, McEntee, Cropsey, Huntington, and Kensett.

Kornhauser, Elizabeth Mankin, Ellis, Amy, and Miesmer, Maureen. Hudson River School: Masterworks From the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003. 169 p.
UALB ULIB OVER (*) ND 1351.5 K67 2003

"This book accompanies an exhibition that travels to the Cantor Center for Visual Arts, Stanford University (October 8, 2003 to January 18, 2004); the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh (February 21 to May 9, 2004); the North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh (June 6 to August 29, 2004); the Dayton Art Institute, Ohio (September 2004 to January 2005); and the Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma (February 6 to April 24, 2005). Published in association with the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art"- Yale University Press, 2003

Lawall, David B. Asher B. Durand : A Documentary Catalogue of the Narrative and Landscape Paintings. New York: Garland Publishers,1978. 221p.
UALB ULIB ND237 D8 L32

"Isolates and focuses attention upon that portion of Durand's work that appears to have the most enduring significance, or which, at least, commands the most attention today...many of the entries on the narrative paintings and studio compositions...includes extensive quotations and criticism from Durand's correspondence with his patrons."--Preface, 1978

Nelson, Thomas and Yau, John. The New Response: Contemporary Painters of the Hudson. Albany: Albany Institute of History and Art, 1985.
UALB ULIB ND 1351.5 N46X 1985

"The sylistic range of the work included encompasses almost as many modes as there exists in contemporary painting. The whole is unified by one common element, all are related to the Hudson River Valley area from New York City to the Adirondacks. In looking at these works, one is struck by both the famaliarity of the scenes and the various manners in which the artists have chosen to respond to them."--Preface, 1985

Phillips, Sandra S. Charmed Places: Hudson River Artists and Their Houses, Studios, and Vistas. New York: Edith C. Blum Art Institute, Bard College, and Vassar College Art Gallery in association with H.N. Abrams, 1988. 160 p.
UALB ULIB OVER (*) ND 1351.5 C47 1988

"Catalogues a traveling exhibition of paintings, photographs and drawings which focus on the homes, studios and environs of Hudson River Valley artists. Four essays on the development of the valley and over 50 pages of reproductions present such artists as Thomas Cole and Frederic Church as importers and proponents of a picturesque style of architecture and landscape design and as contributors to the evolution of a regional attitude toward nature. The text emphasizes that the view of nature as "nourishing, supportive and restorative" espoused by these 19th century artists both influenced and reflected the development of enterprises like the Erie Canal, and Manhattan's Central Park."-Publisher's Weekly, 1988

Table of Contents

These resources are good sources of information on the more famous artists from the Hudson River School. Other biographies can be found in the biography section of the library. See Browsing areas for details.

Avery, Kevin J., Kelly, Franklin, and Conway, Claire A. eds. Hudson River School Visions: The Landscapes of Sanford R. Gifford. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003. 273 p.
UALB ULIB OVER (*) ND 237 G4 A4 2003

"This book contains four comprehensive essays that examine Gifford's place in the Hudson River School, his Catskill Mountain subjects and his experiences and perceptions as a traveler both at home and abroad. The 70 paintings by the artist, which are included in the retrospective of Gifford's works at The Met, are discussed in great detail. The paintings are illustrated in color and accompanied by comparative works by both Gifford as well as his mentors and colleagues who had influenced him. A chronology of significant events in the artist's life, a selected bibliography and index complete this comprehensive volume."-Art & Antiques, 2004

Cikovsky, Nicolai Jr. George Inness. New York: Harry M. Abrams Inc., 1993. 143 p.
UALB ULIB OVER (*) ND 237 I5 C54 1993

This book tells the story of his life, focusing mostly on his paintings and influences. Cikovsky remainds the reader that Inness was an important member of the Hudson River School. Unlike other biographies or catalogs, this book provides both a story and the paintings of his life, in color and in black and white. They provide a strong sense of Inness and his work.

Durand, John. The Life and Times of A.B. Durand. New York: Kennedy Graphics, 1970. 232p.
UALB ULIB ND237 D8 D8 1970

A reprint of an 1894 biography of the artist done by a relative, John Durand. It is a rather complete history with genealogy and early life included. Discusses his artistic contributions to the Hudson River School. A valuable source for biographical information on Durand. Unlike others, this one talks in depth on other areas of his life besides painting.

Hendricks, Gordon. Albert Bierstadt: Painter of the American West. New York, H. N. Abrams, 1974. 360p.
UALB ULIB OVER (*) ND 237 B585 H42

Probably the first detailed biography of Bierstadt. The book covers his entire life, from birth to death. Mixed with the story are both black and white and color pictures of his paintings. The book manages to relate the importance of one of the country's first great Western painters. Additionally, this book also shows the range of locations that were painted in the Hudson River School.

Janson, Anthony F. Worthington Whittredge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. 250 p.
UALB ULIB OVER (*) ND 237 W624 J36 1989

"One of the initial entries in the new series, Cambridge Monographs on American Artists, this first critical study of Whittredge (1820-1910) fills an obvious need and also serves to accompany a traveling exhibition on the artist. A member of the second generation of the Hudson River School, Whittredge studied in Cincinnati, Dusseldorf, and Rome. He is largely remembered for landscapes of New York and New England scenery, some of which he rendered in the style of the Barbizon school. Nearly 200 works are illustrated in this scholarly biography. Whittredge does not come across as a compelling figure, no doubt an accurate reflection of his personality."-Library Journal, 1990

Kelly, Franklin. Frederic Edwin Church and the National Landscape. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988. 179p.
UALB ULIB ND237 C52 K45 1988

"The Author studies Church's North American landscapes from 1845-1860, emphasizing comtemporary ideas and critical opinion. He traces Church's evolution from his start as a pupil of Thomas Cole to the influence of Humboldt and [what is seen as] the fruition of the Cole tradition with the creation of a unique national landscape."-Choice, 1989.

Noble, Louis Legrand. The Life and Works of Thomas Cole. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1964. 333 p.
UALB ULIB ND 237 C6 N6 1964

Written to fill a void in biograhical data on the founder of the School, Noble goes into great detail on the life of Cole, telling not just of his paintings and influence, but also of his life and work before the Hudson River School. It contains some black and white pictures of his work. Together with the other Cole biography, an accurate account of his life and works is presented.

Powell, Earl A. Thomas Cole. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1990. 144 p.
UALB ULIB OVER (*) ND 237 C6 A4 1990

"Tidy in its method and manageable in its size, Mr. Powell's book is an excellent introduction to the work of a painter who brought to everyday American life the same sense of epic that he brought to allegory and legend."-New York Times Book Review, 1990.

Table of Contents

The University at Albany has many fine online indexes and databases available for students. Below is a list containing the databases that produced the best results with the least amount of searching.

America: History and Life. Santa Barbara, CA: Clio Press, 1964-
UALB ULIB Bld. Only E11 Z999 A44 1954-1973, 1989-1995

NOTE: Online Version available to faculty, staff and students only; Only 6 users at one time.

"Article abstracts and citations of reviews and dissertations covering the United States and Canada."-UAlbany Catalog

Using a subject heading of "Hudson River School" under the Advanced Search feature, some abstracts are found relating to the subject.

Art Index. New York: H.W. Wilson, Jan 1929.
UALB ULIB REF N 1 Z999 A79 V.1-49

NOTE: Online version available to faculty, staff and students only.

"Covers approximately 300 periodicals, yearbooks, museum bulletins in all fields related to arts. It is the most comprehensive source of bibliographic information on periodical literature." The Humanities, 2000

Provides citations for many different articles relating to the movement when using the search terms Hudson River School.

EBSCO: Academic Search Premier. Ipswich, MA : EBSCO Publishing,1984-

NOTE: Available to students, faculty, and staff only.

"Scholarly, multidisciplinary, full text database covering over 4,400 social science, humanities, science and technology titles. Over 2,500 titles are peer reviewed."-UALbany Catalog

Doing a keyword search using "Hudson River" and "landscape Painting" yields some results that are available full text online.

InfoTrac One File. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale Group, [199-?]-

NOTE: Available to students, faculty and staff only.

"Provides access to periodical and news information on a diverse set of topics, including humanities, education, business, science, current events, art, politics, economics, social science, law, health care, computers, technology, environmental issues and general interest topics; indexing coverage beginning in 1980."-UAlbany Catalog.

Using search terms of Hudson River School and landscape painting produces numerous results.

Readers' Guide Abstracts. New York: H.W. Wilson Co., 1904-
UALB ULIB REF AI 3 R48

NOTE: Online version available to students, faculty and staff only.

"Covers popular periodicals published in the U.S. and Canada. Includes current events and news, fine arts, fashion, education, business, sports, health and nutrition, consumer affairs, and others."-UAlbany Library

Provides many articles using the search terms of Hudson River School.

Table of Contents

There are many websites that give information on the Hudson River School. Below are ten sites that try to provide a broad area of coverage in relation to the Hudson River School. Some sites are reference in nature, while others are relate to specific aspects of the School, or of modern applications of the School.

Delahunt, Michael, 2004. ArtLex on the Hudson River School. Http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/h/hudsonriverschool.html

This site provides many picture examples of paintings as well as some background information on the movement and its painters. One strength of this site is that provides a bibliography of websites related to the Hudson River School. The site is regularly monitored, and most of the links work. It is a good resource for finding web sources.

Albany Institute of History and Art. Hudson River School Collection at AIHA.http://www.albanyinstitute.org/collections/hudson_river.htm

This site provides detailed information on several well-known paintings in its collection. The information is primarily about the painting itself, not the movement. The information discusses the method of painting, the detailed scene, the history of the piece, and the author. This a good site for research on particular painting in the School, or for detailed information on the paintings of the School.

Harden, Mark. Hudson River School. http://www.artchive.com/artchive/hudsonriver.html

This site offers biographies of prominent painters and histories of the movement. The author uses book quotes within his descriptions to bring more detail to the entries. He also offers links to companies where these books or posters can be purchased. This site had the longest biographies of the all of the sites.

New York State Department of Tourism. 2002. Hudson River School Art Collection Locations and Descriptions. http://www.iloveny.com/travel_ideas/culture_hrsac_map.asp

This site provides a clickable map of New York State detailing all Hudson River School collections on display with addresses and websites of each location. It also includes the highlights of each collection.

PBS Television. Thomas Hampson-I Hear America Singing. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/icon/hudson.html

This site profiles artists and movements of American history. This website was created as a supplement to a PBS special starring Thomas Hampson. The site provides a history of the movement, as well as the background on the theory behind it, giving a good summary of the philosophical foundations of the movement, something other sites often lack. It also provides some pictures, and other very basic information on the artists and paintings.

Malyon, John. Artists by Movement: The Hudson River School. http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/hudson-river-school.html

This site provides listings of paintings by painter with links to websites. It has rudimentary information about the subject, a good source for beginners. One strength of the site is that it offers many ways to search and explore the site. It is a good source for finding specific paintings or a painter.

Hildreth, Sandra. 1997. A Personal Exploration of 19th century and Comtemporary Landscape Painting of the Adirondacks and St. Lawrence Valley Region. http://www.northnet.org/hildreth/ish_pic.htm

This site contains pictures of selected paintings of the Hudson River School. IT also contains a bibliography of other sources on the subject. This is one of the reasons this site is a useful resource. The other reason this is a useful site is that Hildreth presents her own work and the works of others who are influenced by the earlier Hudson River School. This is a good site for a researcher looking to evaluate the influence of the Hudson River School on today's artists.

AskArt. 2004. Hudson River School Painters. http://askart.com/Interest/TopHudson_A.asp

This site provides a great, long history of the School and movement, as well as shows examples of paintings. It has one of the largest selections of painters to choose from. The site tells about the individual artists paintings in terms of holdings, auctions, books, etc. However, it does not provide an exhaustive list of holdings.

Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Glorifying The Wilderness: The Hudson River School Of Landscape Painting. http://www.byu.edu/moa/exhibits/Current%20Exhibits/150years/150chron2.html

This site provides a history of the School as well as details and samples of some of the artists. What makes this a good site is that is also provides links to some of their suggested sites, as well as detailed biographies of some of the more prominent artists.

Campbell, D. 2003. The Hudson River School: American Art, 1820-1870Brief Outline Notes with Links to Paintings. http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/faculty/campbell/enl310/amart3.htm

This site contains the lecture notes a professor of art history. His notes can be viewed in powerpoint or in outline form. The strengths of this site are that he provides links many other sites throughout his lecture, as well as paintings. Also, he details the important points about some of the key figures of the movement, giving a summary of what they are know for.

Albert Bierstadt (1830–1902)
The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak, 1863
Metropolitan Museum of Art,(www.metmuseum.org)
Rogers Fund, 1907 (07.123)

This pathfinder was created by Heather Harrington on April 18, 2004 for ISP 605 with Professor Meho.

Table of Contents