Slide Three: Thomas Cole

• The movement's pioneer: Thomas Cole was a self-taught oil painter who immigrated from England as a teenager in 1818.

• Inspirational 1825 trip: He took a steamboat up the Hudson River and hiked the Catskills to sketch the scenery.

• Three breakout paintings: He created three landscape pieces that completely shocked the local art community.

• Elevated landscape art: He changed the view that landscapes were inferior to portraits by showing their immense beauty.

• Instant success: His work created such a deep feeling of awe that prominent figures bought them immediately.

Every important movement needs a pioneer and for the Hudson River School, that was Thomas Cole. Thomas Cole was a self taught oil painter immigrated from England in 1818 as a teenager. then, in the fall of 1825, he took a steam boat ride up the Hudson River then hiked into the Catskill Mountains. He created three paintings after his return, shocking the local art scene. at that time landscapes were scene as a lesser genre compared to portraits, but his works instilled such a feeling of aw and beauty that tree prominent figures bought them immediately.