|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1850 – 1862 Jasper Cropsey spent the period after Europe traveling in America. He spent a lot of time in the Hudson Valley, Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and at Niagara Falls. These years were some of his most productive and as his reputation grew he was commissioned for many paintings.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Although working mainly on American landscapes and on scenes from his European journey, Cropsey began to paint literary and allegorical scenes also. "Land of Beulah" was his contribution to Bunyan’s "Pilgrim’s Progress", a panoramic sequence of paintings which many artists contributed to. "Hawking Party in the Time of Queen Elizabeth", was a scene inspired by the works of Sir Walter Scott. "Spirit of War" and "Spirit of Peace" were epics set in feudal times. Cropsey also painted several allegorical works with Christianity and morality as themes. "Millennial Age", describes a utopian vision of the world with a lion, lamb, and child on an altar as described in Isaiah. This altar group, including a relief of swords beaten into plowshares, was used by Jasper in several paintings. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
 Interior of Arreton Church (Isle of Wight), England, 1865 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The English were most impressed with Cropsey’s views of American autumn. By this time Cropsey was regarded as "America’s painter of autumn". The English could not believe the brilliant reds and oranges of the autumn scenes, so Cropsey sent for and received New England leaves pressed onto postcards to demonstrate that his colors were true. In 1861, the American Minister, Charles Adams, presented Jasper and Maria to Queen Victoria. Cropsey’s fame was established and he was reaping financial rewards befitting his position as a popular and influential artist. "Autumn on the Hudson" sold in 1862 for $2000, by far the most Cropsey had ever received for a painting. While in England, Jasper painted and sketched English landscapes, in particular rock formations on the Dorset Coast and intimate scenes on the Isle of Wight. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
