Art and the Environment
1960s - 1970s

High school student cleaning up Ann Lee Pond, 1971.
Times Union Photo Archives


Earth Day demonstration, c. 1970.


Earth Day Poster.
Robert Rauschenberg, 1970

Following World War II (1939-1945), the United States became the center for modern and abstract art. Nineteenth century landscapes were not given much attention. But, beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, the Hudson River school was appreciated again. Many saw the Hudson River school landscapes as reminders of an unspoiled American wilderness that had been lost to industrial growth. 

Contemporary artists and historians, concerned for America’s natural environment, saw the paintings as documents of a lost pre-industrial paradise. Environmentalists used the Hudson River school landscapes to inspire people to embrace the “back to the earth” movement. The Hudson River school artists were hailed as early environmental activists, calling for Americans to protect natural resources. 

---

Dawn of Morning, Lake George

This 1868 painting by Jasper Cropsey was intended to be a view of Lake George as it might have appeared before the industrial revolution - a picture of a pristine wilderness. By the mid-20th century the painting was again recognized for its environmental message. The artist has given us a glowing autumn day in the Adirondacks. The rotting trees in the foreground, the passing storm, the rainbow, and the fall colors all suggest the healthy cycles of nature. The seated Native American to the left suggests the natural man who exists in harmony with his world. 

How might an environmentalist use a painting like this to convince other people to protect wilderness regions? How can this image of the past be relevant today for those who want to control the use of natural resources?