Building a Shelter 

Thomas Sully made this oil on board painting, ‘Building a Shelter,’ sometime in the first half of the 19th century. It depicts a man struggling to erect a rough wooden structure, likely a temporary dwelling. The image immediately evokes the hardships faced by settlers and laborers in the expanding American landscape. Consider the historical context: during this period, America was undergoing rapid westward expansion, fueled by ideas of manifest destiny and economic opportunity. The painting seems to romanticize the rugged individualism associated with this movement. Yet, it also hints at the labor and struggle involved in taming the wilderness. What sort of narratives were cultivated by American institutions to convey the realities of frontier life? What kind of images were omitted? To understand this work more fully, historians often turn to diaries, letters, and other documents that reveal the lived experiences of ordinary people. These sources can help us to see beyond the idealized images and grapple with the complex social and economic forces that shaped the nation.