Early California Artists
Encyclopedia
Early California Artists are a subset of American Western artists, painting in the mid-to-late 19th century. Their styles varied from realistic representation to the imagined.
The Early California Artists helped shape and create California in culture and politics. They were members of most early American survey expeditions of the West, such as Thomas Ayers and Albert Bierstadt. Their eyes, via their art, were the eyes through which the Easterners saw and imagined California and 'The West,' rom the renowned early California artists Thomas Hill
, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Moran
to the populist John Englehart
.
, including President Abraham Lincoln
. Their visual examples helped define how the United States managed and legislated the territory and then new U.S. state
of California
, especially represented by the preservation of Yosemite Valley
and the Mariposa Grove
.
The American artist helped mold the American West by instilling and fanning the eastern population's desire to create an entirely new endeavor, the protection of huge swaths of natural land as parks for use and enjoyment by the public.
Their legacy includes the National Park Service
that formed for conservation and the peoples benefit, something new in world history. President Abraham Lincoln
began the system on June 30, 1864. upon signing The Yosemite Grant, giving California a state park for "public use, resort and recreation".
Populist art of Yosemite helped create and save Yosemite from many attempts at development. "Celebration of Nature" Journalists, Painters and Musicians, formed the Bohemian Club
in 1872, and then recruited powerful businessmen and entrepreneurs. They also started the Advocacy group Sierra Club
in 1892. But John Muir
and his artist friends were not able to save Hetch Hetchy Valley
, which Muir felt was more stunning than Yosemite.
This frontier was only seen through the eyes of an artist by the average easterner. And the few easterners that had seen it, took back paintings and prose of its breathtaking beauties to evangelize their family and friends on the beauties of the unspoiled west.
The artists were considered to "advertise" the Wonders of Nature, in a way that caused a groundswell of public opinion to protect the most visually stunning areas like Yosemite from development.
The Early California Artists helped shape and create California in culture and politics. They were members of most early American survey expeditions of the West, such as Thomas Ayers and Albert Bierstadt. Their eyes, via their art, were the eyes through which the Easterners saw and imagined California and 'The West,' rom the renowned early California artists Thomas Hill
Thomas Hill (painter)
Thomas Hill was an American artist of the 19th century. He produced many fine paintings of the California landscape, in particular of the Yosemite Valley, as well as the White Mountains of New Hampshire.-Biography:...
, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Moran
Thomas Moran
Thomas Moran from Bolton, England was an American painter and printmaker of the Hudson River School in New York whose work often featured the Rocky Mountains. Moran and his family took residence in New York where he obtained work as an artist...
to the populist John Englehart
John Englehart
His career started in the California Art Boom. From the late 1880s until the turn of the century he maintained a studio in San Francisco on Clay Street...
.
Early art advocacy
Their scenic paintings moved U.S. leaders in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, including President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. Their visual examples helped define how the United States managed and legislated the territory and then new U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, especially represented by the preservation of Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
and the Mariposa Grove
Mariposa Grove
Mariposa Grove is a sequoia grove located near Wawona, California, United States, in the southernmost part of Yosemite National Park. It is the largest grove of Giant Sequoias in the park, with several hundred mature examples of the tree...
.
The American artist helped mold the American West by instilling and fanning the eastern population's desire to create an entirely new endeavor, the protection of huge swaths of natural land as parks for use and enjoyment by the public.
Their legacy includes the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
that formed for conservation and the peoples benefit, something new in world history. President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
began the system on June 30, 1864. upon signing The Yosemite Grant, giving California a state park for "public use, resort and recreation".
Populist art of Yosemite helped create and save Yosemite from many attempts at development. "Celebration of Nature" Journalists, Painters and Musicians, formed the Bohemian Club
Bohemian Club
The Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
in 1872, and then recruited powerful businessmen and entrepreneurs. They also started the Advocacy group Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
in 1892. But John Muir
John Muir
John Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions...
and his artist friends were not able to save Hetch Hetchy Valley
Hetch Hetchy Valley
Hetch Hetchy Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in California. It is currently completely flooded by O'Shaughnessy Dam, forming the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The Tuolumne River fills the reservoir. Upstream from the valley lies the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. The reservoir...
, which Muir felt was more stunning than Yosemite.
This frontier was only seen through the eyes of an artist by the average easterner. And the few easterners that had seen it, took back paintings and prose of its breathtaking beauties to evangelize their family and friends on the beauties of the unspoiled west.
The artists were considered to "advertise" the Wonders of Nature, in a way that caused a groundswell of public opinion to protect the most visually stunning areas like Yosemite from development.
List of Early California Artists
- Thomas AyresThomas AyresThomas Ayres was a British born South African ornithologist. In 1850 he migrated with his family to Natal where he started to collect birds. In 1865 he and his brother Jack moved to Potchefstroom, where they hunted and traded with the Boer settlers...
- Albert BierstadtAlbert BierstadtAlbert Bierstadt was a German-American painter best known for his lavish, sweeping landscapes of the American West. In obtaining the subject matter for these works, Bierstadt joined several journeys of the Westward Expansion...
- Anne BrigmanAnne BrigmanAnne Wardrope Brigman was an American photographer and one of the original members of the Photo-Secession movement in America. Her most famous images were taken between 1900 and 1920, and depict nude women in primordial, naturalistic contexts.-Life:Brigman was born in the Nuuanu Valley above...
- John EnglehartJohn EnglehartHis career started in the California Art Boom. From the late 1880s until the turn of the century he maintained a studio in San Francisco on Clay Street...
- Thomas HillThomas Hill (painter)Thomas Hill was an American artist of the 19th century. He produced many fine paintings of the California landscape, in particular of the Yosemite Valley, as well as the White Mountains of New Hampshire.-Biography:...
- George InnessGeorge InnessGeorge Inness was an American landscape painter; born in Newburgh, New York; died at Bridge of Allan in Scotland. His work was influenced, in turn, by that of the old masters, the Hudson River school, the Barbizon school, and, finally, by the theology of Emanuel Swedenborg, whose spiritualism...
- William KeithWilliam KeithWilliam Keith may refer to:*William Keith of Galston , Scottish soldier during the Wars of Scottish Independence.*William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal*William Keith, 6th Earl Marischal , Scottish peer and naval officer...
- Victor MatsonVictor MatsonVictor Stanley Matson was one of the California Plein-Air Painters and he was active from the 1920s until his death. He was an active organizer for a number of Southern California arts organizations and served as President of the historic California Art Club from 1961 to 1962...
- Thomas MoranThomas MoranThomas Moran from Bolton, England was an American painter and printmaker of the Hudson River School in New York whose work often featured the Rocky Mountains. Moran and his family took residence in New York where he obtained work as an artist...
- Otis WilliamsOtis WilliamsOtis Williams is an American baritone singer. Nicknamed "Big Daddy", he has also acted as a sporadic songwriter and record producer. Williams co-founded the Motown vocal group The Temptations in early 1960 as The Elgins, a group in which he continues to perform...
Distribution
Examples of early Californian art can be seen at the following museums.- Oakland Museum of CaliforniaOakland Museum of CaliforniaOakland Museum of California or Oakland Museum is a museum dedicated to the art, history, and natural science of California located in Oakland, California....
- Crocker Art MuseumCrocker Art MuseumThe Crocker Art Museum is one of the leading arts institutions in California, and the longest continuously operating art museum in the West. Located in Sacramento, California, the Crocker has been an art innovator since 1885...
- The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical GardensThe Huntington LibraryThe Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is an educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington in San Marino, in the San Rafael Hills near Pasadena, California in the United States...
- Society of California Pioneers MuseumSociety of California PioneersThe Society of California Pioneers and its members are listed in the Annals of San Francisco of 1855. The key stipulation seems to be that they arrived in California prior to December 31, 1849. Since this was a membership organization, it lists only a portion of the pioneers that came to...
- Stanford University Museum of Art