Participants in CIC’s 2017 art history seminar spent a week at the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut, immersing themselves in the study of “Landscape and Identity in Britain and the United States (1770–1914).” The 25 faculty members who teach art history at CIC member institutions participated in the July 24–28 seminar, led by Tim Barringer, Paul Mellon Professor of Art at Yale University and chair of the department (see participants list).

Following a reception and welcoming dinner, the seminar explored the rising prestige of landscape painting in British art over the period, as industrialization spread across the countryside and the colonial empire expanded, increasing the wealth of business-class art patrons. British artist Thomas Cole and his American student Frederic Edwin Church were two of the major figures of what later came to be known as the Hudson River School of landscape painting, which, building on English origins, represented the American landscape as it slowly transitioned from raw wilderness into a world shaped by encroaching development.

The “Landscape and Identity in Britain and the United States” seminar, led by Tim Barringer of Yale University, took place at the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut.

Throughout the week, participants viewed major works of art, beginning with the unrivalled collections of British landscape paintings, drawings, and prints at the Yale Center for British Art, and continuing on to the collections of American landscape paintings in the Yale University Art Gallery. Participants also viewed the landscape itself—as one day was devoted to visiting the Catskill Mountain House Site, a hotel that opened in 1824 with famous panoramic views of the Hudson Valley; Frederic Church’s home and studio, known as the Olana State Historic House; and the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, where Cole resided from 1833 until his death in 1848.

Seminar participant Heather Logsdon, assistant professor of art and design at Kentucky Wesleyan College, remarked, “This experience (for a small private college professor without easy access to large museums) is crucial to my pedagogy and teaching abilities. Partnering with museums to provide seminars like this to faculty members from smaller institutions will give the professors experiences, information, observations, and perspectives that they wouldn’t normally acquire. Ultimately, the students benefit the most because faculty participants walk away with better curricula from the seminar and more engaging ideas.”

The seminar was generously supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. View more information on the seminar series.

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2017 “LANDSCAPE AND IDENTITY IN BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES (1770–1914)” PARTICIPANTS

​Alverno College (WI) Jodi Eastberg Associate Professor of History Aurora University (IL) Libby Escobedo Associate Professor of Art History Averett University (VA) Marc Muneal Associate Professor of English Bridgewater College (VA) Nan Covert Associate Professor of Art Bryn Athyn College (PA) Martha Gyllenhaal Associate Professor of Art and Art History Drake University (IA) Elisabeth West Associate Professor of English Earlham College (IN) Scott Hess Professor of English Flagler College (FL) Chris Balaschak Associate Professor of Art Hillsdale College (MI) Barbara Bushey Professor of Art Houghton College (NY) John Rhett Professor of Art Indiana Wesleyan University Anne Greeley Assistant Professor of Art History Kansas City Art Institute (MO) Sherman Anderson Associate Professor of Liberal Arts Kentucky Wesleyan College Heather Logsdon Assistant Professor of Art and Design

​Luther College (IA) David Faldet Professor of English Mars Hill University (NC) Lucia Carter Associate Professor of History Marymount Manhattan College (NY) Adrienne Baxter Bell Professor of Art History Randolph College (VA) Lesley Shipley Assistant Professor of Art History Ripon College (WI) Brian Bockelman Associate Professor of History St. Thomas University (FL) Michael Mulvey Assistant Professor of History Sweet Briar College (VA) Kimberly Jones Associate Professor of Art History The College of Idaho Garth Claassen Professor of Art The College of Wooster (OH) Christina Welsch Assistant Professor of History Thiel College (PA) Sheila Nowinski Assistant Professor of History University of Evansville (IN) Heidi Strobel Associate Professor of Art History Wesleyan College (GA) Elizabeth Bailey Professor of Art