Kevin MurphyFebruary 5, 2012
Immigration, the Industrial Revolution, and American Art: Teaching with Art and Objects of the 19th and early 20th Centuries
Objectives
- Analyze changes occurring in America during the 19th and early 20th centuries
- Explain impact of technology on America
- Describe urbanization as well as the growth of and changes to leisure time during this time period
Introduction
One of the most consistent themes throughout the history of the United States is change. During the latter half of the 19th century, American underwent a tremendous transformation, evident in the rise of an industrialized, urban society. Technology had an important transformational impact and contributed to growing urbanization. Immigration and migration filled the cities and while many problems associated with urbanization emerged, people sought out leisure activities to fill time made free by technological innovations.
Artwork provides an opportunity to tell the story of changing America in a different manner. Students can demonstrate their understanding of the time period through their analysis of paintings and objects. Students can engage in small or large groups in analyzing a painting while gaining an appreciation for American art and artists.
Procedure
This lesson can be done either at the beginning or at the end of a unit on industrialization, urbanization and immigration in America. As an introduction, students would be looking at each work and analyzing what the painting shows about changes in America to be discussed. Introducing them to the impact of technology, the urban experience, and the growth of leisure time can be done by looking at each painting.
If done as an ending exercise, students would be able to analyze the paintings to demonstrate their understanding of the time period and the themes discussed throughout the unit.
Students might be asked to look at a painting on their own, using an analysis sheet to note key aspects of the painting as well as hypothesizing about the artist’s intent. Allow them to share with a partner or a small group before reviewing the piece together.
At the end of the class, students will write a brief paragraph about how art demonstrates themes in American history.
The Paintings
Part 1: Impact of Technology
Work 1: River in the Catskills by Thomas Cole not only represents the first American art movement, the Hudson School, but also provides the students with an excellent opportunity to look closely at a painting and discuss its pieces. Cole shows the encroachment of civilization in a number of ways. The train, the cleared fields, and the smoke in the background all demonstrate what was occurring in the mid to late 19th century throughout America. While it certainly came earlier to New York and other eastern states, this encroachment was still going strong in other parts of the nation late into the 19th century.
Work 2: Boston Harbor by Fitz Henry Lane highlights the changes occurring in the United States and the new technologies as Cole’s painting does. In this painting, the contrast between the old sailing ships and the new steamship is subtle yet very present. Lane places the new ship in the background. Students can discuss the impact of this change on port cities like Boston and how technology continues to affect us today. In the background of this painting, Boston as a sizeable metropolis is also evident. Its importance as a trading port at this time was evident in the large number of ships in the harbor.
Part 2: Urbanization
Work 3: East River, New York by Edward Darley Boit is from a later period (1911) but can certainly be included in this sequence to demonstrate urbanization. This painting shows the close living quarters along with the presence of a factory in the neighborhood. Students can discuss the growth in urban populations from immigration and migration from rural America and the problems that the people encountered in the cities. This painting shows the tenements and the pollution that created a harsh living environment for everyone who had to live there.
Work 4: Pigeons by John Sloan brings the previous discussion into more focus. It again shows the closeness of the buildings while at the same time allowing students to consider what people did with their leisure time. The idea of leisure time is an important theme in changing America. This work shows a boy watching a man training pigeons.
Work 5: Cliff Dwellers by George Bellows provides a different view of the tenements and impact of urbanization. In contrast to the lofty viewpoint presented in Sloan’s painting, Bellows brings the viewer into the space between the buildings and shows the closeness yet also the community that existed in this space.
Work 6: Boston Common at Twilight by Childe Hassam presents a different view of the city and of leisure time. Technological improvements in transportation evident in the presence of the street cars can be integrated into a discussion about how such technology affected urbanization. The woman and children can be linked back to the theme of leisure, contrasting the more well-off represented in Hassam’s work with that in Sloan’s.
Part 3: Leisure Time
Work 7: A Pic Nick in the Woods of New England by Jerome B. Thompson goes back to the idea of leisure time. In looking at the clothing, the food, the setting and the people, students can begin to wonder about what people did for fun during the 19th century. By putting this painting, from 1855, with later paintings, students might gain an appreciation of the presence of leisure time throughout American history and how things change.
Work 8: Palisade Amusement Park by George Overbury Hart contrasts nicely with Thompson’s painting. Leisure time has grown to include amusement parks. These parks integrated the latest technology and were located in the urban environment. This also allows students to make a clear connection between 1926 and today. Few students probably gather for large picnics today, though many will visit amusement parks.