Thomas Cole:

The Course of the Empire (Savage State)

   

 

Thomas Cole: The Savage State

 

The Course of the Empire - Savage State (Oil, 1836)

This is the first in Thomas Cole's "Course of the Empire" series.  As you view each of the paintings, notice how the sun rises and moves through the sky.  The mountain in the background remains throughout, but in the foreground, considerable changes take place.  Cole chose something from Byron to help describe this work: 

There is the moral of all human tales;
'This but the same reheasal of the past

First Freedom, and then Glory: when that fails
Wealth, vice, corruption

 

For a more detailed description of all four paintings, click on the "Last" link below:

Here are the links to each of the paintings:  Second Painting - Third - Fourth - Last

Links:  Links to Other Works of Wilderness Art   -   Outdoor Literature Main Page   -   Outdoor Ed Courses: Home Page

Pub History: This page was originally located at the following URL: http://www.isu.edu/~wattron/OLCole2.html