[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 164 (Monday, October 31, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1964]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    TRIBUTE TO GEORGE INNESS AND THE HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL OF PAINTING

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                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 31, 2011

  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize and honor 
the accomplishments and cultural contributions of George Inness and the 
Hudson River School of Painting, an important artistic movement of 19th 
century America.
  The Hudson River School has many connections to places all over the 
United States, including my district. Born in 1825 and raised in my 
home state of New Jersey, George Inness began studying painting as a 
teenager. Inness became very famous for his style, which combined 
aspects of the Hudson River School's attention to detail and realistic 
landscapes with techniques he learned from his time in Europe.
  In 1885, Inness settled permanently in the town of Montclair, New 
Jersey in the Eighth Congressional District. He spent almost a decade 
painting scenes of Montclair before his death in 1894. Today, I am 
proud to say that many of these outstanding paintings remain on display 
in my district in the Montclair Art Museum, which boasts the only 
gallery in the world dedicated to Inness' work.
  The Hudson River School of Painting was the first indigenous American 
school of painting. George Inness, his colleagues, and the landscapes 
they created, influenced American art, culture, and the environment. 
Inness, like other painters of the Hudson River School, was dedicated 
to accurate, yet powerful scenes that became very important as the 
environmental conservation movement took shape. Exciting scenes of the 
pristine American West captured by painters in the School's second 
generation brought the natural beauty of our nation to all Americans, 
and led to the creation of Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks by 
Congress as part of the new environmental conservation movement. Later, 
these paintings were used to support the formation of the National Park 
Service.
  The Hudson River School painters also helped found one of the most 
renowned museums in the world. Inspired by the culture of art they 
encountered on their trips throughout Europe, these painters joined 
with other business leaders and academics to create the Metropolitan 
Museum of Art in New York City. Many works by the Hudson River School's 
painters still hang there today, including several by George Inness.
  In light of these contributions, I would also like to commend the 
Architect of the Capitol for choosing two paintings by Albert 
Bierstadt, ``Discovery of the Hudson River'' and ``Entrance into 
Monterey,'' for public viewing in the Capitol Visitors Center. These 
works, representative of the Hudson River School, were found in the 
House Members' Staircase for many years, and will now be seen by 
thousands of visitors every day as they embark on their discovery of 
America's representational democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my fellow Representatives to join me in 
recognizing and honoring the achievements and legacy of the Hudson 
River School of Painting, and of one of its most accomplished artists, 
George Inness.

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