Sketch for View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm 1836

This is Thomas Cole’s, Sketch for View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm. As part of the Hudson River School, Cole painted landscapes that often reflected the American belief in manifest destiny. He captured the sublime beauty of the American wilderness, imbuing it with a sense of divine purpose. Here, we see a vast panorama, bisected by a bend in the Connecticut River. The painting invites us to consider our relationship with nature, and with the land itself. In the foreground, we see a self-portrait of the artist looking at the view. The image invites a dialogue between civilization and nature. The cultivated fields and settlements hint at the encroachment of humanity on the wilderness. What does it mean to claim ownership over land, and at what cost? Cole’s painting resonates with questions about environmental stewardship, cultural identity, and the legacies of colonialism.