Forward to 1.3.4 Rococo
Back to 1.3.3.4 Bolognese School – Back to 1.3.3 Baroque Index
| QUICK LINKS: Eunice Huntington, Chandler Death of General Wolfe, West | Death of Major Pierson, Copley Expulsion of Adam and Eve, West George Washington, Stuart |
In general, the term ‘American Colonial art’ describes the art and architecture of 17th and 18th century settlers who arrived in America from Europe. It was so Eurocentric that it had no contact with the tribal art traditions of Native American Indians, either on the eastern seaboard, the plains or the west coast.
[Source: visual-arts-cork.com]
[1335-10]
 Image source: wikimedia commons | Winthrop Chandler was known for his portraits, mainly of family members and neighbours, and a few landscapes. Chandler did not travel in search of commissions. He produced paintings of a number of the Devotion family children. Chandler’s style is characterized by a flat, linear manner of painting and a realistic representation of his sitters. Although he painted houses to supplement his income, he was unable to support himself. He returned to Chandler Hill where he died on 29 July 1790. Chandler was so destitute that he left his remaining property to pay his medical and funeral expenses. [Source: nga.gov] |
| TITLE: | YEAR: | FORM: | GENRE: |
| Eunice Huntington Devotion and Child | 1770 | Oil/Canvas | Portrait |
| ARTIST: | DATES: | ORIGIN: | MOVEMENT: |
| Chandler, Winthrop | 1747-1790, aged 43 | American artist | American Colonial Art |
| LOCATION: | SIZE (cms): | [1335-11] | |
| Lyman Allyn Art Museum, 625 Williams St, New London, CT 06320, USA | 134 x 93 |
| The Death of General Wolfe is a 1770 painting by Anglo-American artist Benjamin West, commemorating the 1759 Battle of Quebec, where General James Wolfe died at the moment of victory. The painting, containing vivid suggestions of martyrdom, and broke a standard rule of historical portraiture by featuring individuals who had not been present at the scene and dressed in modern, instead of classical, costumes. Nonetheless, the painting has become one of the best-known images in 18th-century art. [Source: Wikimedia commons] |  Image source: wikimedia commons |
| TITLE: | YEAR: | FORM: | GENRE: |
| Death of General Wolfe, The | 1770 | Oil/Canvas | History Painting |
| ARTIST: | DATES: | ORIGIN: | MOVEMENT: |
| West, Benjamin | 1738-1820, aged 81 | American painter London | American Colonial Art |
| LOCATION: | SIZE (cms): | [1335-12] | |
| National Gallery of Canada, 380 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON K1N 9N4, Canada | 151 x 213 |
 Image source: tate.org.uk | This picture celebrates the British defence of Jersey against French invasion in 1781 and also pays tribute to a young Major, Francis Peirson, who lost his life in the process. Originally a part of France, the island of Jersey had been in the possession of the English since 1066. On the night of 5-6 January 1781 a small army of French soldiers landed on the island and marched on the capital, St Helier. They captured the Governor, and forced him to sign a document of surrender. The British garrison and the Jersey militia launched a counter-attack, led by Major Peirson, he was killed by a French sniper. A battle ensued in Royal Square and the French were defeated. [Source: tate.org.uk] |
| TITLE: | YEAR: | FORM: | GENRE: |
| Death of Major Pierson, The | 1782-4 | Oil/Canvas | History Painting |
| ARTIST: | DATES: | ORIGIN: | MOVEMENT: |
| Copley, John Singleton | 1738-1815, aged 77 | English painter | American Colonial Art |
| LOCATION: | SIZE (cms): | [1335-13] | |
| Tate Galleries, Millbank, Westminster, London SW1P 4RG UK | 252 x 366 |
| The Book of Genesis does not state how the first man and woman were expelled from Eden, but artists usually portray the Archangel Michael as the agent of the Lord’s wrath. The sinners wear fur robes because God clothed them in ‘coats of skins’ so that they could stand unashamed in his presence. The serpent, now cursed among creatures, slithers away on its belly to eat dust. The sharp beam of light overhead refers to the ‘flaming sword’ in Genesis. [Source: nga.gov] |  Image source: pinterest.com |
| TITLE: | YEAR: | FORM: | GENRE: |
| Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, The | 1791 | Oil/Canvas | History Painting |
| ARTIST: | DATES: | ORIGIN: | MOVEMENT: |
| West, Benjamin | 1738-1820, aged 81 | American painter London | American Colonial Art |
| LOCATION: | SIZE (cms): | [1335-14] | |
| National Gallery of Art, Washington DC USA | 187 x 278 |
 Image source: wikimedia commons | Most everyone is familiar with it as the engraved bust-length image of George Washington that graces the front of the one-dollar bill. Art historians formally call it the Athenaeum Portrait. This is one of dozens of portraits that Stuart painted of the first president. The full-length likeness, is called the Lansdowne Portrait, not as famous as its bust-length counterpart, but the Lansdowne Portrait retains a place of special significance within the history of American art. Given his European training, Stuart was well suited to execute a Grand Manner portrait of America’s first president. Whereas previous artists emphasised Washington’s position as an officer in the Revolutionary Army, Stuart stressed Washington’s position as a civilian commander in chief. [Source: khanacademy.org] |
| TITLE: | YEAR: | FORM: | GENRE: |
| George Washington ‘Lansdowne’ Portrait | 1795 | Oil/Canvas | Portrait |
| ARTIST: | DATES: | ORIGIN: | MOVEMENT: |
| Stuart, Gilbert | 1755-1828, aged 72 | American painter | American Colonial Art |
| LOCATION: | SIZE (cms): | ||
| National Portrait Gallery, 8th St NW & F St NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA | 248 x 159 |
Forward to 1.3.4 Rococo
Back to 1.3.3.4 Bolognese School – Back to 1.3.3 Baroque Index