Due to unforeseen issues affecting the presenter, this program has been cancelled. A new date has not yet been determined. We appreciate your understanding.
Art educator Laura Nicholls explores the origins of American visual art, tracing its earliest roots to Indigenous and Spanish Colonial traditions. During the Colonial era leading up to the American Revolution, artists often followed European styles, creating portraits and landscapes that reflected wealth, land ownership, and social status. After independence in 1776, art took on a new role in the United States. Artists helped define the identity of a young nation by portraying its early leaders and using visual storytelling to share a collective history and sense of purpose.
Notable artists of the period include:
Paul Revere; Gilbert Stuart; John Singleton Copley; John Trumbull; Benjamin West; Joshua Johnson; Thomas Sully; Charles Willson Peale; Rembrandt Peale; Washington Allston.