The French Connection in Thomas Cole’s Course of Empire

Abstract

Thomas Cole painted his five-part series Course of Empire for businessman Luman Reed. The varied scenes comprise a chronological history, going from the primitive and pastoral stages to an advanced urban development (fig. 1), to military destruction and ruin. Cole first ideated the series between 1827 and 1829, completing it by 1836. In advertisements, Cole stated that paintings “are not of any particular nation or country” and that they are allegory and not history. The artist called thework an “Epitome ofMan.” Yet, wemight look for suggestions