Art Analysis
The analysis of anything is the act of separating the whole into parts in order to ultimately better understand the whole. When analyzing a work of art, in this case a painting, one should ask some fundamental questions about those parts in order to gain an understanding of the piece. Some basic questions that can be applied to almost any work of art are:
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- What was my initial reaction to the piece?
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- Who is the artist?
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- What is the title?
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- When and where was the work made?
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- What purpose did it serve?
Sculpting, photography, and graphic design are all very unique fields but each of the above questions could be applied to these area of study. Each area of the arts also prompts its own set of unique questions, however. When studying a painting, one wants to explore the following elements (I will stick to the suggestions that pertain to landscape or frontier painting, more or less):
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Subject
- What is the topic? What is happening in the painting? What does the theme suggest or remind the viewer of? Are there humans in the painting? Are they at ease, fearful, or dwarfed by nature? What is their relation to the horizon and the sky? Is the sky clouded, stormy? Clear, bright? Is that forest inviting and nurturing or dark and threatening? Are there artificial objects in the scene?
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Style
- What is the style of painting and what does that style suggest about the artists point of view or place in time?
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Color
- What mood do the colors evoke? What do certain colors traditionally represent? Are the colors imitative or expressive?
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Line
- Are the lines definitive and hard or are they irregular and indistinct? Do the objects blend in with their background or do they stand out off the canvas?
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Light
- What is the effect of light in the painting? Does it illuminate a scene or character in the painting, or does it shadow? Does the light (dark) unite or divide the a painting?
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Angle
- In what direction is the artist trying to direct your gaze by use of posture or light?
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Matching
- What colors, poses, or objects appear to be aligned with one another on the page? Objects - are they harmonious with one another or at odds? Do the objects equally share the viewers attention?
Some other elements to consider that make up the composition of a painting include depth/space, medium, shape, size, and scale
Historical Background
Nineteenth century American leaders firmly believed that it was their duty (and certainly their right) to expand and conquer in order to reach the Pacific. After the expansion and conquest these leaders projected the ideal: settlers were to come, and then the entire continent from sea to shining sea would be securely in possession of the nation state. In western America, the settlers would find that the climates and conditions of these newly conquered lands were rough, extreme, and unpredictable. Artists of the time presented their interpretations of this duty of expansion and conquest as well as these lands, and hoped that the American citizens would perceive the West as they did. Art was used to glorify and promote, and to criticize and condemn.
Manifest Destiny
In the first decades of the nineteenth century the United States simultaneously experienced a very high birthrate and increased immigration. Data reveals that America grew from a population of five million in the beginning of the century to about twenty five million by the halfway point. As the original thirteen colonies grew, they also suffered occasional economic depressions (1818, 1839). Both of these factors (and competition with Spain) drove many Americans and their leaders to look westward past the Appalachian mountains into what was then considered the frontier.
Conveniently, in the 1840’s there emerged a term that would renew a sense of national identity, addressing these economic and national demands. In 1845, editor John L. O’Sullivan wrote a powerful and influential essay that presented a defense and inspiration for the seizure of western lands. The movement he describes was not discussed in terms of economic gain or advantage though. He wrote:
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.... the right of our manifest destiny to over spread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federative development of self government entrusted to us. It is a right such as that of the tree to the space of air and the earth suitable for the full expansion of its principle and destiny of growth.2
Manifest destiny
was the insistence that it was the “mission” of Americans to expand the boundaries of freedom (and Christianity) across the continent and impart their idealism and values on those capable of self government.3 This movement would capitalize on the already held notion of a restless American people with unclear borders, and would foster a identity of expansion.
Art, Literature, and National Identity
Whether the idea of
manifest destiny
was originally a genuine belief or simply a justification for confiscating Native American and Mexican lands can be explored in another unit, but the frontier itself eventually became the genuine symbol for American national identity. In addition, the passion behind national identity would be intensified for Americans, as opposed to Europeans, compensating in part for their lack of historical tradition. The lack of historical tradition not only impacted nationalism and politics but also art. The American landscape painters of the 19th century were faced with the challenge of portraying a “new world” with no European markers or historical equivalents. This challenge was seen as appealing opportunity by some artists, who were at the front end of expansion into the West.
These landscape artists were there to capture the essence of the land before it was threatened and consumed by civilization. One of the earliest painters to capture this essence was Thomas Cole (1801-1848), later to be known as the “father of the Hudson River landscape tradition.” Cole hoped to create paintings that would inspire a heroic national identity. In his art, he represented an identity that was defined as liberty from history, from feudal Europe, and from old art4. The western frontier provided Cole, other artists from his Hudson River School and many later painters with the perfect subject to represent the new nation. In the works of these frontier artists, the untouched landscape of the West suggests the spiritual purity of the nation.
Further Westward Expansion
The quickening pace of westward expansion and the increasing demand for property stimulated the interests of both artists and writers in this new terrain (knowingly or not, they hastened the confiscation of land from its native inhabitants).5 Some of the artists, like the pioneers, would leave the comforts of home or studio to brave the journey westward into the wilderness to confront nature on its own terms. George Catlin (1796-1872) became as much of an explorer as Daniel Boone, or Lewis and Clark, as did other frontier artists. When they headed into the far West, they transferred the idea of nature as the divine presence from the Catskills to the great plains and beyondRocky Mountain Transcendentalism. While artists like Catlin aimed to portray Native Americans6, other artists’ objectives were to glorify, and hence secure the American presence in this sanctimonious, pure, and promised land. One of these artists was Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze.
Leutze, most famous for his
Washington Crossing the Delaware
, was born in Germany and moved to the U.S. in 1831 at the age of fifteen. When he returned to Germany in the early 1840’s to study at the Dusseldorf Art Academy, he saw himself as an American. He, and many German idealists (and future immigrants to this country), saw America as the universal fatherland of liberty. In the paintings Leutze made at the academy, he glorified American history with great passion, uplifting the heroic spirit of the nation.
In
Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way (Westward Ho!)
, Leutze captures the apparent unavoidable push by (white) Americans westward. This work “articulated the belief of Americans since the 16th century that they had a Christian duty and an inalienable right to expand their territory and their influence.”7 Leutze viewed the West as not just the frontier for America, but the universal final frontier for all of civilization.
Analysis & Comparison
A good starting off point for an analysis of this painting would be a discussion about its name. Inherent in its title is the direction of expansion (
Westward
). It also suggests a feel of conviction in the growth of this empire (
takes it’s way
), like the phrase “having your way with someone,” and a definite enthusiasm for the conquest (
Westward Ho!).
A thorough conversation about the title should lead to the conclusion that the painter viewed westward expansion favorably, at the least, and probably that he was a firm believer in the idea of
manifest destiny
. The difficult task in leading a discussion like this is maintaining a balance between offering information to expand students’ thinking versus using questioning and offering very little information, and that line varies for every painting. One of the reasons I chose this particular painting is because the title (and the content) clearly illustrate the way the artist perceives westward expansion. A topic for further discussion at this point, before viewing the painting, would be the artist’s origins. How does the fact that Leutze was a immigrant from “the old world” impact your ideas on the artist’s point of view?
Upon first look at the painting, the viewer can not help but immediately feel the sense of forward motion progress. Of course there are many other elements to this work that will catch the viewer’s eye, like the calm horizon in the distance ahead or the shadowy and frozen mountains in the recent past, but it is the sense of determination and effort seen in the pioneers coming up through the pass that best captures the essence of the title..
Exactly what about the humans that captures the title’s essence needs to be explained in order for the statement to have any validity in a critical discussion or paper, however. First, the body language of the three men in the lead, aligned with each other along what is the literal and metaphorical horizon, can be described as encouraging and enthusiastic. They turn to their fellow pioneers and assure them that they have made it out of the darkness. One of the men in Daniel Boone attire kneels beside a woman and child and gestures to the heavenly calmness before them, inviting them to rise and continue their journey. To me, they represent the continuation of Christian life even in those unknown lands and the determination of American pioneers who chose to brave the struggles of the wilderness. Other men in the foreground march with their heads down along the horses and wagons, together they create a sense of engine gears or the wheels on a train. Both these machines will trudge almost continuously if fueled and cared for, like the pioneer. Drawing the reader’s attention to these finer aspects of this one part of the whole supports my suggestion that the pioneer’s resolve is the essence behind the title, and also begins to build an understanding of the essence of the painting itself.
Students will be able to break the whole into its many clearly defined parts. I’ve mentioned the role of some of the humans, but there are others that can be examined as well. The men cutting down trees and clearing the land ahead of the pioneers and those still struggling through the pass are further examples. What do the dark, snowy mountains in the background suggest? What role do light and color play? Based on the items carried, what can we say Leutze valued? These are the types of questions you should present to your class to facilitate effective analytical discussion.
Based on what the class has discovered by the painting’s parts, the students should have a established a good sense of the whole. Taking a comparative look at some other works of art and literature would enrich the lesson by allowing students to see how this painting fits into the whole of Leutze’s career, frontier painting, and national identity.
Earlier in his career, Leutze painted
Departure of Columbus from Palos in 1492
(1855). It should be made known that Columbus went on his journey with the blessing of the pope and the Catholic rulers of Spain. He literally represented the Catholic church. This is the type of information you would want to disclose to your students in order for them to fully appreciate the historical context of the painting. At the center stands a determined Columbus about to lead his ships and their crews out of Spain and westward, into the unknown. With his head above the horizon and arm stretched pointing to the sea, he looks back over the crew confidently. Now that students are armed with some background knowledge, and after seeing Columbus’ position and posture, what does the composite of that say about Leutze’s pioneers in
Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way?
That is for the student to determine.
Further comparisons could be made to Frederic Church’s
Hooker and Company Journeying through the Wilderness in 1636 from Plymouth to Hartford (
1846). Although not the west, in 1636 Hartford was a frontier, and the painting being set in Connecticut would be meaningful for our students. Additionally the students will have had experience viewing this painting in a class prior to this one (in a different context), so this study will enrich and deepen their understanding of it. The ways in which the position of the objects and scale of this painting differ from the previous works could become a lively discussion providing the students with an opportunity to use analysis. The people are engulfed and dwarfed by the forest that lies
ahead
of them. How is that different from what we have observed about the other paintings, and what does it suggest about the experience of these pioneers?
Two other paintings I would suggest using to further reinforce the idea of westward expansion and art are William Jewett’s
The Promised Land-the Grayson Family
(1850) and George Caleb Bingham’s
Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers Through the Cumberland Gap
(1851).
Each painting in this unit was carefully chosen to compliment or support the others in one way or another. At this point students would benefit from a review of the past few paintings to establish what themes we find consistently among them. Divine right and duty, American will, nature as God’s grace, and the clear and unobstructed path to American expansion westward are common themes found in all of these works of art. Introducing an artist and a painting that offer a very different interpretation at this stage in the unit expands the students ability to think critically encourages them to use a variety of resources when building knowledge. An excellent painting to contrast the notion of divine right and peaceful conquest is Charles Deas’
The Death Struggle (1845
). In it, a U.S. hunter or soldier is involved in an intense life-and-death struggle with both a Native American and nature itself. Still on their horses, both men have fought their way off a cliff as a second Native American watches. There does not seem to be much hope for the horses, but the white man has grabbed hold of a branch, and despite their adversarial relationship, the Native American now clutches onto his waist in hopes of surviving. It is worth pointing out the ironic nature of the current state of the relationship of the elements compared to their original intent and purpose. The painting shows the struggle between two civilizations, both destroying each other but for the moment depending on each other. Deas’ message is a dire warning to anyone who thinks that the journey West will always lead to paradise.
Whitman’s Pioneers
Poetry too can be analyzed in relation to
manifest destiny
. An excellent poem to teach how the life on the frontier was presented in art is Walt Whitman’s
Pioneers!, O Pioneers!
In it, Whitman address the “youthful, sinewy…tan faced children” and announces:
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Follow well in order, get your weapons ready;
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Have you your pistols? Have you your sharp edged axes? Pioneers! O pioneers!
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For we cannot tarry here,
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We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger,
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We, the youthful sinewy races, all the rest on us depend, Pioneers! O pioneers8
Whitman certainly lacks the idealism and righteousness of a O’Sullivan or a Leutze, but he is very clear that it is the mission of this generation of Americans to “take up the task” “leav(ing) the past behind” in order to “seize” a “newer, mightier world, varied world.”
This celebrated poem is full of adventures that the students will be able to imagine, feeling the exhilaration of westward expansion. As classrooms become more diverse in terms of learning styles, this poem can be used to reach more types of learners. The colorfulness of the poem provides the artistic students in class with an opportunity to recreate some or all of Whitman’s images in paintings of their own.
The student should be able to analyze the relationship between this poem and the paintings discussed earlier. Does the poem support or refute the mission of the pioneers as seen by the painters studied? What is Whitman saying about
manifest destiny
and westward expansion?
Conclusion / Writing critically
After first establishing an understanding of the history and art behind the unit, the students should be prepared at this point in the unit to write in order to explain their reactions to the works of art before them. The students will write critically, but they shouldn’t confuse the idea of pointing out faults with the idea of bringing attention to something they feel deserves attention. That is what the critical essay should be. The student should use the art terms listed above to describe a composite of the work of art, drawing our attention to the finer points of the painting, and then possibly compare how that painting relates to others from the set of study.
The critical essay should be well organized, and contain an evaluation and analysis. The writer passes judgment on the art, deciding what is or is not worth discussing (evaluation) and then the writer will separate the whole into its parts (analysis) and attempt to persuade the reader that what he or she sees in the painting are important elements (opinion). Using the parts of a work of art to explain one’s position on the whole correlates perfectly with the CAPT driven objective of using information from historical sources to support one’s stance on an issue. Writing persuasively is an essential skill for success at the high school level.