Windsor Forest 1844

John Frederick Kensett made this ink on paper artwork, titled 'Windsor Forest'. During the nineteenth century in America, there was a prevailing belief in the concept of Manifest Destiny, which posited that the United States was destined to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent. Kensett, a member of the Hudson River School, painted landscapes that romanticized the American wilderness, subtly promoting this ideology. This image of Windsor Forest may have influenced the shaping of American cultural identity. The very act of depicting the landscape carries political undertones. It subtly encourages viewers to identify with the land. By studying letters, diaries, and other archival materials, one can understand the social and political context that shaped Kensett's artistic choices. The meaning of this artwork lies not only in its aesthetic qualities but also in its connection to the broader historical narrative of American expansionism.