Sunday, April 26, 2009

History/the Hudson River School Painters

Frederic Church's home at Olana
View from Thomas Cole's porch
Kaaterskill Falls Painted by many HRS painters
Kaaterskill Clove -also a favorite place for the HRS painters

I have ALWAYS admired the Hudson River School, especially Frederic Church, Sanford Gifford (my fave-he is in this category although more of a luminist), and Asher Durand (check out his letters). They had the first artist colony in Palenville. It served as a base for their painting in Kaaterskill Clove and Falls (above.)
The two best parts of the trip-seeing Frederic Church's view and feeling his presence inside his house. It has all the original furnishings and paint that Church bought /ordered for his home.

I highly recommend visiting Olana..it's breath taking in so many ways.
Check out this link- http://www.history.vt.edu/Barrow/Hist3144/readings/hudsonriver/index.html

5 comments:

Brian McGurgan said...

I feel like one of those New Yorkers who has never been to the Statue of Liberty. Oh, wait - I am one of those New Yorkers... In any case, I've seen both (Olana and the statue) many times at a distance, and I'm determined to get to Olana this spring or summer for some drawing and to check out the house. Glad you had a good weeknd there, Loriann - nice photos!

loriann signori said...

Brian, I am sure there are places on the "must see" list in DC that I have missed too.
I think you will find Olana well worth your time!

Janelle Goodwin said...

Thanks for sharing these breathtaking views of Olana. I would love to visit sometime this area sometime.

Jala Pfaff said...

Wow, what a gorgeous place that would be to live!

loriann signori said...

Jala, You are so right. The inside is a created space like his landscape. He was way ahead of his time. He even had gigantic windows in some places (a rarity back then.) He called it his living landscape. If you're ever out this way....... L