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Frederic Church: A Painter's Pilgrimage
A beautiful overview of fascinating paintings of the classical world and the Holy Land by a beloved American artist
Frederic Church (1826–1900), one of the leading painters of 19th-century America and the Hudson River School, also journeyed around the globe to find fresh inspiration for his highly detailed compositions. Among Church’s lesser-known masterpieces are his paintings of the Middle East, Italy, and Greece, produced in the late 1860s through late 1870s, which explore themes of human history and achievement.
Taking a closer look at this geographical and thematic shift in Church’s practice, this handsome book brings together the artist’s major paintings of Athens, Rome, Jerusalem, and the surrounding region. The essays concentrate on a set of six major paintings of architectural and archaeological marvels; one essay also spotlights Olana, Church’s home in New York State, which reflects the influence of Middle Eastern design. This impressive volume stands apart in its new approach to the artist’s work and its quest to determine why and how this quintessentially American figure was drawn to scenery and themes from the other side of the globe.
Distributed for the Detroit Institute of Arts
Exhibition Detroit Institute of Arts
(10/22/17–01/15/18) Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, N C
(02/08/18–05/13/18) Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT
(06/03/18–08/26/18)
Frederic Church (1826–1900), one of the leading painters of 19th-century America and the Hudson River School, also journeyed around the globe to find fresh inspiration for his highly detailed compositions. Among Church’s lesser-known masterpieces are his paintings of the Middle East, Italy, and Greece, produced in the late 1860s through late 1870s, which explore themes of human history and achievement.
Taking a closer look at this geographical and thematic shift in Church’s practice, this handsome book brings together the artist’s major paintings of Athens, Rome, Jerusalem, and the surrounding region. The essays concentrate on a set of six major paintings of architectural and archaeological marvels; one essay also spotlights Olana, Church’s home in New York State, which reflects the influence of Middle Eastern design. This impressive volume stands apart in its new approach to the artist’s work and its quest to determine why and how this quintessentially American figure was drawn to scenery and themes from the other side of the globe.
Distributed for the Detroit Institute of Arts
Exhibition Detroit Institute of Arts
(10/22/17–01/15/18) Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, N C
(02/08/18–05/13/18) Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT
(06/03/18–08/26/18)
224 pages, Paperback
Published October 24, 2017
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December 11, 2025
a great read about Church's travels in the Eastern Med. / Holy Land + his own architectural transcription via his home Olana. the idea of Church as artist-traveler but also missionary or national spokesperson is really intriguing -- he was a man interested in capturing biblical, architectural, anthropological and zoological details of these parts of the world, the people and cultures.
How much do his works contribute to shaping notions of Oriental 'backwardness' of these groups of people? How do his works offer visual testimony to the ongoing erasure of Palestine? Is Olana problematic?
So many interesting questions have come up for me while reading this, hoping I can delve into more in the future!
How much do his works contribute to shaping notions of Oriental 'backwardness' of these groups of people? How do his works offer visual testimony to the ongoing erasure of Palestine? Is Olana problematic?
So many interesting questions have come up for me while reading this, hoping I can delve into more in the future!
Displaying 1 of 1 review