The Art Institute of Chicago
View of Cotopaxi
Description
View of Cotopaxi brings together in visual form scientific, religious, political, and cultural ideas in the mid-19th century. Inspired by German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt’s concept of ecological interconnectedness, Frederic Edwin Church traveled to South America to meticulously study the tropical landscape. The artist produced at least ten finished paintings of the Ecuadorian volcano, this one completed in his studio just before his second visit to the region. For Church and other Christian viewers, nature, with all its creative and destructive wonders, was evidence of divine power. The painting likewise reflected an imperialist vision, as US government officials eyed Latin America as a site for territorial expansion and conquest.
Provenance
Walter Wright, Chicago, from 1857 to 1876; by descent to Anne E. Webster, from 1876 to 1894; by descent to Lewis Dana Webster, from 1894 to 1908; by descent to Ida Hamlin Webster, from 1908 to 1912; by descent to Mary Jennette Hamlin, from 1912 to 1919; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1919.
Dimensions
62.2 × 92.7 cm (24 1/2 × 36 1/2 in.)
Movement / Period
Accession No
76571
Official Citations
Curatorial Affinity Stream
Continuing the Universe of Frederic Edwin Church (American, 1826–1900)
19th century • United States • Harmonious Works & Contemporaries
Continuous Discovery