The Past

Thomas Cole

Oil on canvas

National Gallery of Art

This luminous Romantic landscape depicts a vibrant medieval jousting tournament unfolding before a grand European castle, with colorful tents, elegantly dressed spectators, and knights on horseback competing in the arena below. Thomas Cole, the founder of the Hudson River School and father of American landscape painting, was born in England and emigrated to America in 1818, where he became celebrated for his evocative wilderness scenes and allegorical works exploring humanity's relationship with nature. This painting is part of a pair with 'The Present,' contrasting the glory of civilization at its peak with its eventual decline—a theme Cole explored throughout his career in works like 'The Course of Empire.' The rich greens, warm golden light, and intricate details of medieval pageantry make this work a captivating window into Cole's romantic vision of Europe's storied past.