It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but maybe they are worth far more than that. Pictures, although seemingly simple in nature, are extremely complex. Far too often, people overlook what a picture truly is. When a person looks at an image, they most likely see only the image, nothing else. Many people do not look deep enough into an image to fully comprehend the true meaning of it. However, when an individual begins to truly study an image in an attempt to understand the true complexity of it, they will be surprised at what they overlooked before. As stated by French Realist Painter, Gustave Courbet, “Fine art is knowledge made visible.”
American Progress by John Gast, 1872
At first glance, the painting above may seem very odd. There is a woman flying above what appears to be settlers on the open plains. However, after examining this image closely it begins to make more sense. The title of this painting is American Progress by John Gast. The title of this painting goes along with the painting itself very well as this painting depicts American progress.
The painting above is from the era of Manifest Destiny in the United States in the 19th century. Manifest Destiny is the belief that it was God 's will for America to stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Americans believed that not only was the United States able to, but that the United States was destined to stretch across the continent, from ocean to ocean. This image is one of the
Manifest Destiny is a belief in the 19th century that was both justified and unavoidable is the expansion of the US throughout the American continents. The idea of Manifest Destiny changed the American landscape by the 1860’s, how? Things that led to the change of the American landscape is to annex Texas, the declaration of war on mexico, and the treaty of guadalupe hidalgo.
The painting, House by the Railroad, by Edward Hopper was completed in 1925. The house he painted was in the style of a Victorian house. The house was built next to railroad tracks. He painted House by the Railroad with oil based paint on a canvas. The artwork is a twenty-four by twenty-nine inches in a frame. When I look at this painting, the first thing I think of is where is it located? It looks like it is in the middle of nowhere but then again it looks like it is in a town because of the railroad tracks. The house is built next to the railroad tracks but there are no trees. The house contains several windows which I think would be neat. In this painting, he uses vertical and horizontal lines. He used vertical lines for the columns of the house and parts of the house. He also uses horizontal lines for parts of the house and the railroad tracks. Many of the lines Edward Hopper painted were medium size. The painting is painted with several figures lined up. If you look at the front of the house, you can tell that it is square on top of another square. The one on the bottom left is also a square but it is bigger. The picture and the lines are very soft. The lines in the picture never seem to overlap each other. The way the sun is in the picture makes it look absolutely beautiful. The sun could be either rising or setting by the look of the artwork. House by the Railroad was painted in the United States. Edward Hopper painted this picture after he came back
The Embarkation of the Pilgrims by Robert Weir affects many people with the upsetting feeling many get from reading the words of one of the Pilgrims, We sang psalms and were merry. The painting is gloomy, hard and uninteresting, but depicts the respect of the general public because of its deep religious spirit. Also, because of the clever handling of shadowing and general carefulness, the painting has an admirable technique. In 1836, the United States government commissioned Robert W. Weir to paint the Embarkation of the Pilgrims and hung in 1843. The Mexican war was an event that inspired Weirs painting. The moral and geographic greatnesses were absolutely holey understandings. In other words, when the land was conquered through an event like the Mexican War, it was ultimately acceptable by the righteous promise of the Embarkation. The painting represents significant historical moments leading to the founding of the American Republic. The painting clearly depicts the Pilgrim families gathered around their pastor, John Robinson, for a farewell service on the deck of the Speedwell before its departure from Holland. Thomas Hart Benton, Missouri Benton was born on March 14, 1782, in Hillsboro, North Carolina. When his family migrated to Tennessee his father had died, and as a young man, was left in charge of
The term “Manifest Destiny” was, in part, an expression of a genuine ideal on the part of Americans. Yet it was also a justification to a push and to assume territory. The idea of Manifest Destiny was sparked by revolutionary American writings that encouraged appropriation of Canada. These writings rationalized that the Louisiana Purchase and the Untied States’ annexation of Texas ordained American complete domination of the North American continent. More broadly stated, Manifest destiny was a conviction that God intended North America to be under the control Americans. It’s an assertion of Anglo-Saxon supremacy.
Manifest Destiny is the belief during the 19th century, that the United States of America not only could, but was destined to, stretch from coast to coast. The idea of Manifest Destiny helped to fuel the war with Mexico and the removal of Indians from the United States. The American people and government lived by this belief. Manifest Destiny had many good results like the expansion of the American territory. It also had many poor results like the killing of Indians who were "in the way" of the belief of Manifest Destiny. The president that followed through with the belief of Manifest Destiny the most is that of James K. Polk. His war with Mexico and strong stand against the British about the Oregon territory solidified Manifest Destiny.
Manifest Destiny is a term coined by John L. Sullivan in 1845 when talking about the annexation of Texas. He believed, along with other expansionists, that it’s inevitable that the US population would spread across North America because the land is given by Providence to the United States and that it’s natural that the land should be part of the country [Doc 1]. The idea of westward expansion and Manifest Destiny had positive and negative effects on the politics, society and the economics of the United States and
The visual ‘American Progress’ and the written resource on Manifest Destiny by John O’Sullivan are significant. Both of these resources are based on the idea of westward expansion. The visual symbolizes Americans going westward, to the unknown. The unknown is symbolized by dark clouds covering the west, which is where the Americans are headed. The title of the visual supports the idea that the image is about expanding westward. ‘American Progress’ implies that Americans are advancing, and the image shows Americans moving west. This must mean that the visual is about Americans advancing to the west. The written resource on Manifest Destiny is an article claiming that our destiny was to expand westward and take control of the continent that
Manifest Destiny was an idea expressed during west ward expansion. It was the belief that God ordained that Americans must travel from coast to coast. Americans were also supposed to share their “light” to the primitive natives. Natives in the photo are showed in the darker side of the painting. They are fleeing from the giant angel heading towards them. The angel in the middle of the painting carrying a book and telegraph wires to insinuate their intellectual dominance. The painting tries to show how in the early to mid-19th century Americans believed God is always on their side and justifies everything they do from taking land to racism.
Manifest Destiny is a belief that United States was destined by God to stretch across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and into Mexican Territory. Manifest Destiny came into act as a result of political pressure on slavery issue and fear of foreign threats. This idea provided opportunity for Americans to spread their beliefs of freedom, liberty and democracy across the continent. Manifest Destiny began with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, expansion plans of Polk (annexation of Texas in 1845), and dispute with Great Britain over Oregon Territory.
Manifest Destiny was a period in American history where citizens progressed westward into freshly attained territories. In that location were both noble and depraved experiences that were felt through the advancement of the country. The notion of Manifest Destiny was getting more common and prevalent throughout the United States. The imprint that would be left upon America was deliberated and heartened by the citizenry, which would be the start of a growth of colonialist observing the entitlement to bear their own destiny. Without regard of how far away or with no concern for who or whatever was in their path.
The Manifest Destiny was the attitude prevalent during the 19th century period of American expansion that the United States not only could, but was destined to, stretch from coast to coast. Manifest Destiny was mainly accomplished by the Monroe Doctrine, the annexation of Texas, and the Mexican-American War, but we were not a true continental power yet. After 1850, the Civil War, westward expansion, and the rise of big business made the United States a true continental power.
It is said that “The true content of a photograph is invisible, for it derives from a play not with form but with time”. This makes me think that the real content of a picture, which is what the photographer tried to express, is not evident to perceive unless an explanatory text is provided. In fact, I believe that our perceptions of pictures changes over time as the historical context do. In addition, our opinions are never fixed as they are influenced by our environment. Therefore, when looking at a particular picture at a given time, it is certain that our perception of it will be different in the future based on what happen between the first time and second time we saw it.
The Manifest Destiny was the name given to the Anglo-American (white) expansion into the West. The Manifest Destiny was based on an idea that white Americans were superior people who believed in God. Americans were to populate North America “sea to shining sea” and spread the religion of Christianity. The Manifest Destiny displayed American’s confidence. Americans moved west for more land, the Manifest Destiny also uplifted American’s freedom and democracy. And it encouraged independence. The United States used the Manifest Destiny to start a war with Mexico from1846 until 1848. The Manifest Destiny communicated American claims to western lands, at once highlighting the nation’s superiority and offering a solution to national anxieties. Ironically, the new territories exacerbated sectional divisions and caused the civil war (Bailey et al., 2015, p 319, and Hardesty 2015).
Manifest Destiny is a term for the American expansion that the united States not only could, but was destined to, stretch from coast to coast.
Art is simple. Art is complex. Art is everything. Take a moment, everyday, to find art in the surrounding world. By doing this simple task, the understanding of art emerges. This