Wilderness in Art and Wilderness in Art and LiteratureLiterature

Becky MillerBecky Miller

Early 18Early 18thth Century Art Century Art During the period roughly around 1826 During the period roughly around 1826

when Cooper wrote the when Cooper wrote the Last of the Last of the Mohicans Mohicans Thomas Cole was prominent as Thomas Cole was prominent as a painter of romantic American a painter of romantic American landscapes.landscapes.

Thomas Cole’s 1836 painting, Thomas Cole’s 1836 painting, The OxbowThe Oxbow, , features at right depicts the Connecticut features at right depicts the Connecticut river near Northampton and makes use of river near Northampton and makes use of the stylistic techniques of the American the stylistic techniques of the American romantic school, most notably an romantic school, most notably an expansive and whimsical skyline.expansive and whimsical skyline.

This painting is typical of the idealization This painting is typical of the idealization of nature and wilderness as represented in of nature and wilderness as represented in the Leatherstocking Tales.the Leatherstocking Tales.

Nature in conflict with civilizationNature in conflict with civilization

Andrew Melrose, "Westward the Star of Andrew Melrose, "Westward the Star of Empire Takes Its Way" 1867Empire Takes Its Way" 1867from the Personal Collection of E. William from the Personal Collection of E. William Judson depicts the growing tension between Judson depicts the growing tension between wilderness and civilization through the newly wilderness and civilization through the newly constructed log cabin on the left and the constructed log cabin on the left and the standing trees and deer on the right, the standing trees and deer on the right, the jarring presence of the railroad questions the jarring presence of the railroad questions the distinction between the two.distinction between the two.

This painting like much of the literature of This painting like much of the literature of the period questions the positivism of the period questions the positivism of progress and appeals to a sense of nostalgia progress and appeals to a sense of nostalgia for the aboriginal state of American for the aboriginal state of American wilderness, which the Romantics would wilderness, which the Romantics would absorb and explore in their art and literatureabsorb and explore in their art and literature ..

Roughing ItRoughing It

The cover art from The cover art from Mark Twain’s Mark Twain’s Roughing Roughing ItIt shows the rough and shows the rough and tumble, masculine tumble, masculine notion of the west as notion of the west as well as a beautiful and well as a beautiful and open skyline of a open skyline of a beautiful wilderness.beautiful wilderness.

Twain’s work and WildernessTwain’s work and Wilderness This illustration from This illustration from The The

Adventures of Huckleberry FinnAdventures of Huckleberry Finn shows Huck and Jim on the river, shows Huck and Jim on the river, very much equals in a situation in very much equals in a situation in which wilderness has removed which wilderness has removed them from the corruption of them from the corruption of society.society.

Much of Twain’s work calls to Much of Twain’s work calls to question the morality of question the morality of civilization and comments on the civilization and comments on the corruption of eastern society, corruption of eastern society, these image are consistent with these image are consistent with his view.his view.

Roosevelt and the WestRoosevelt and the West An avid outdoors man himself, Teddy Roosevelt An avid outdoors man himself, Teddy Roosevelt

was a passionate supporter of wilderness was a passionate supporter of wilderness conservation and believed in the nation’s conservation and believed in the nation’s

wilderness as a key feature of national identitywilderness as a key feature of national identity This photo shows the Roosevelt and John Muir This photo shows the Roosevelt and John Muir

on the top of Glacier Peak in the Yosemite on the top of Glacier Peak in the Yosemite Valley.Valley.

This photo is one of many examples of Teddy This photo is one of many examples of Teddy Roosevelt exploring the wilderness himself and Roosevelt exploring the wilderness himself and personally testing himself against nature.personally testing himself against nature.

The Disappearing FrontierThe Disappearing Frontier

This poster depicting the This poster depicting the completion of the trans-completion of the trans-continental railroad in 1869 continental railroad in 1869 again questions if the again questions if the expansion of civilization expansion of civilization and progress is positive. and progress is positive. The poster while showing The poster while showing idealized technology and idealized technology and progress shows a retreating progress shows a retreating and shrinking wilderness. and shrinking wilderness.

Progress and the WestProgress and the West This famous work is rife with nationalism This famous work is rife with nationalism

as it represents the United States' beauty as it represents the United States' beauty and variety growing in manifest destiny, and variety growing in manifest destiny, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, illustrating the grand drama of Progress in illustrating the grand drama of Progress in the civilization, settlement and history of the civilization, settlement and history of this country. this country.

With the idealized progress the railway With the idealized progress the railway passes through the frontier settlers' rude passes through the frontier settlers' rude cabins toward the Western Ocean. Next to cabins toward the Western Ocean. Next to these are the transportation wagons, these are the transportation wagons, overland stage, hunters, gold-seekers, overland stage, hunters, gold-seekers, pony-express riders, and "noble red man." pony-express riders, and "noble red man." Fleeing from "Progress," and towards the Fleeing from "Progress," and towards the western mountains visible on the left of the western mountains visible on the left of the picture beyond the snow-capped summits picture beyond the snow-capped summits of the Sierra Nevadas, are the Indians, of the Sierra Nevadas, are the Indians, buffaloes, wild horses, bears, and other buffaloes, wild horses, bears, and other game, moving westward--ever westward.game, moving westward--ever westward.

The Western Wind River Range as seen during the 2006 summer during my wilderness trip. The Western Wind River Range as seen during the 2006 summer during my wilderness trip. In an exerpt from my expedition journal I wrote, “This place so far removed from anything I In an exerpt from my expedition journal I wrote, “This place so far removed from anything I

have know has truly shown me who I am and what I am capable of “ have know has truly shown me who I am and what I am capable of “