KINDRED SPIRITS /1849/ by ASHER B. DURAND
This artwork was a last tribute to Thomas Cole, the founder of the Hudson River School of Art, who passed away unexpectedly at 47. Commissioned in the year of Cole's death, 1848. It was meant as a gesture of appreciation for the poet, William Cullen Bryant, who spoke at Thomas Cole's memorial service.
The painting shows the poet William Cullen Bryant and artist Thomas Cole at the Catskill Mountains. Cole holds his painting portfolio on the right side. Cole established the Hudson River School of Art, showcasing the American landscape through Romanticism principles highlighting the picturesque, pastoral, and sublime.
Durand made a combined scenery incorporating Kaaterskill Clove and Kaaterskill Falls, which were sources of inspiration for both artists. Durand skillfully merged these two well-known spots to create a stunning scenery. Cole and Bryant's surnames are depicted as though engraved on a tree in the front of the painting on the left side of the canvas.
William Cullen Bryant was an American poet, author, and publisher. He is seen as a poet who focused on important themes such as nature and morality, known for his Fireside style. The artwork was titled after a phrase from the seventh sonnet of English Romantic poet John Keats, called "O Solitude."
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