Destruction | Thomas Cole | 1836 16th Century ornate columns

ornate columns

contrasting the complexities of modern life

set against a landscape blanketed in snow under a bright

Hopper's use of light and shadow

The painting exudes a sense of epic scale and apocalyptic drama

Destruction | Thomas Cole | 1836 16th Century ornate columnsAbout the artwork: Thomas Cole's "The Course of Empire" is a five part series of paintings created between 1833 and 1836, depicting the rise and fall of an imaginary empire. The series traces the cyclical nature of civilization, beginning with "The Savage State," where nature is untamed and humanity is in its infancy. This is followed by "The Arcadian or Pastoral State," illustrating the harmony between humans and nature, and then "The Consummation of