Summary Of Angela Miller's The Empire Of The Eye

In the book, “The Empire of the Eye: Landscape Representation and American Cultural Politics, 1825-1875,” Angela Miller examines landscape and its impact on the expansion of America. The Journal of American History states that Miller’s argument points out, “landscape paintings were responsible for numerous debates revolving around the issues and concerns of progress and conservation, region and nation, masculine and feminine, all of which were formulated, refined, and presented to the public.” The book also discusses the life and success of Thomas Cole within American landscaping as well as how American landscaping brought a new feel and meaning to its audience. The books main topic of discussion is national landscaping: who played a major role in its creation and further success, what the goals and ambitions were of the individuals involved, and the choices that had to be made in certain situations regarding landscaping. The book goes into detail about how “artists,

Cole had been known as the founding father of a national school of landscape art (Miller 21). The book states that there was significant differences between Cole and others that had followed in his footsteps (Miller 21). Cole rejected the statements of nationalism and of an art that was based off of the idea of American exceptionalism (Miller 21). Cole held a very strong attachment to the older, 18th century republican frame of mind, he believed that universal truths and historical laws consisted even during the time that this idea was set apart from others (Miller 21). Cole was mindful that America’s political and social well-being was dependent on foreign visitors (Miller 23). The New York Literary World said that Cole was, “the best interpreter of the teachings of American nature” (Miller 22). His ideas would later change the identity of landscape art, making it a cultural aspect of national identity (Miller