I visited the Brooklyn Museum today, I chose it because I live so close to it – barely a 30 minute walk – so it’s almost embarrassing that I haven’t yet been! I’ve attached two landscape paintings both by featured and famed American artist,  Thomas Cole 1801-1848. Aside from the oil paintings being absolutely breathtaking in person – they both measure approx 4×6 with stunningly fine brushwork – I found it very enlightening to view artwork from the era we are currently discussing in History class. Painting northern American landscapes was an important genre in the art world of the newly formed nation, and it celebrated that nationalism by depicting beautiful scenes, these two paintings are actually set in New York State! There were many similar pieces in the exhibit, depicting family picnics, relaxing workers, animated discussions between African workers and proud Native Americans riding into the fields. The exhibit definitely displayed a more mellow and bucolic perspective on the many troubles that effected the US during that era, but it did inspire a sense of pride and hope in the newly formed (still forming) nation.

The museum also had other exhibits that were fascinating – artifacts from Peru, Brazil, Columbia and other Spanish-influenced Southern American areas – including an exhibit on death symbols and talisman, many pieces dating back into the 1700s. The collection was so extensive, ranging from jadeite, marble and wooden sculptures to gold, silver and textiles all unbelievably preserved.

One exhibit in particular that I didn’t get to was the Ancient Egypt floor, which I fully intend to go back for, it looked fascinating. But there was so much more than that, too, and I highly recommend this to you all!