Twilight in the Wilderness – Fredric Edwin Church
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 101.6 x 162.6 cm
The sun sets over the distant horizon, leaving behind a blood-red and orange sky that is reflected over a wide river. Fredric Church has revealed the power of nature in all its glory. Created on the eve of the Civil War, when its outbreak appeared inevitable, the painting interprets the threatened state of the country’s unspoiled natural environment. The painting depicts a setting in Maine, near Mount Kahadin. The mountains and trees take a backseat to the colorful and expressive sky.
Streak-like red clouds dominate the dark blue sky and turn the lake below a blood red. The surrounding landscape is shrouded in falling darkness. The amber glow of sunset peers through the clouds, with an orange-yellow glow in the background. The sunset in this painting is nearing the end of the day — probably the last hour — when the sunlight cuts through the clouds and glitters on the lake. This is a brilliant painting that portrays the artist’s deep connection with nature. Church chose to remove man from his creations and concentrate on nature in its purest state.
It is said that after exploring his native New England, Church went in search of dramatic and panoramic landscapes. He recorded the uncharted marvels he saw with amazing skill, transforming the texture and emotional power of his paintings.
The artist Fredric Edwin Church was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and became famous for his breathtaking landscapes. He is considered one of America’s most successful artists and possibly the nation’s first artist celebrity. His painting New England Scenery shows his love of intricate details.
Twilight in the Wilderness is a beautiful depiction of landscape — but it is more than that. Some critics suggest that the painting depicts nature not as God, but as the work of God. The stump may represent a wilderness altar. The three trees could symbolize the three crosses, and the bird might carry a message from God.
To understand the painting’s spiritual connotation, one must realize that just as the artist represents himself in his work, so perhaps would God represent Himself in His creation. Church’s dedication to intricate detail in the trees is comparable to the Creator’s dedication to the intricate design of the universe itself.
