Thomas Cole, Old Masters Fine Art Print : The Consummation, The Course of the Empire 1836 American Classical Art Thomas Cole (February 1, 1801 – February 11, 1848) was an English-born American artist known for his landscape and history paintings. He is regarded as the founder of the Hudson River School, an American art movement that flourished in the mid-19th century. The Course of Empire is a five-part series of paintings created by Thomas Cole in the years 1833–36. It is notable in part for reflecting popular American sentiments of the times, when many saw pastoralism as the ideal phase of human civilization, fearing that empire would lead to gluttony and inevitable decay. The third painting, The Consummation of Empire, shifts the viewpoint to the opposite shore, approximately the site of the clearing in the first painting. It is noontide of a glorious summer day. Both sides of the river valley are now covered in colonnaded marble structures, whose steps run down into the water. The megalithic temple seems to have been transformed into a huge domed structure dominating the river-bank. The mouth of the river is guarded by two pharoses, and ships with lateen sails go out to the sea beyond. A joyous crowd throngs the balconies and terraces as a scarlet-robed king or victorious general crosses a bridge connecting the two sides of the river in a triumphal procession. In the foreground an elaborate fountain gushes. The overall look suggests the height of ancient Rome. The decadence seen in every detail of this cityscape foreshadows the inevitable fall of this mighty civilization. Choose from a wide selection print sizes. _____________________________________________________________________ Available as a high quality giclee print in lots of sizes _____________________________________________________________________ Also available on heavyweight canvas pre-stretched on a 1.5 inch deep wooden frame, ready to hang The canvas prints are mirror printed on all 4 edges and do not require an additional frame. _____________________________________________________________________ small prints are shipped in stiffened envelopes larger prints are carefully rolled and shipped in a tube If ordering a combination of print sizes, smaller prints may be rolled with larger prints and shipped together for combined postage discounts. pre-stretched canvas shipped in boxes *********************************************** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ See all of our prints and canvas panels: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/FabVintagePosters ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~