Although Frederic Church painted at his
Hudson Valley farm from the time he
purchased it in 1860, he did not build a
studio here until about 1864-65. On the
site where you are standing, he erected a
"plain but ample" 24-foot-square, wood-framed, hip-roofed structure, featuring a
large north window and a porch on the
west. Here Church sketched and painted,
completing many of his major works.
The grandeur of this view of the Hudson
River and Catskill Mountains was a
constant inspiration for Church. In 1867,
however, he noted modestly to a friend:
"I am appalled when I look at the
magnificent scenery which encircles my
clumsy studio, and then glance at the
painted oilcloth on my easel." Church
created hundreds of sketches for his new
house on the hill in his studio. When he
added a studio wing to his house in the
late 1880s, Church dismantled this studio.
The panoramic view you see here is one
of the most celebrated in American art
and landscape history. Protecting the
lands beyond Olana State Historic Site
will ensure that future generations will
also enjoy this breathtaking scenery.
Photo captions
Top: Looking Southwest over Church's Farm from Sienghenberg. Arthur Parton, 1864Church transformed featureless farmland into the majestic Olana landscape.
Bottom
Right:View from Church Hill, Frederic E. Church, ca. 1870. This quick sketch captures the sublime effects of the scenes the artist saw daily from his dtudio.
Bottom Left: This distant blurry photograph , ca. 1880, is one of two known images of the studio )on the center right of the photograph). Note the saplings and young plantings in the park.
Comments 0 comments