[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 197 (Tuesday, December 20, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING ASHER B. DURAND AND THE HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL OF PAINTERS

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                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 20, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two important 
paintings in the Capitol Visitors Center that were recently placed for 
public viewing by the Architect of the Capitol. I refer to the famous 
19th century painter Albert Bierstadt's works ``The Discovery of the 
Hudson River'' and ``Entrance into Monterey,'' which can be viewed near 
the starting point for visitor tours through the Capitol. These 
paintings represent a uniquely American point of view as part of the 
Hudson River School of Painting.
  Within my district in New York City, there are many connections to 
this first indigenous American school of painting and its artists. One 
artist, Asher Durand, stands out in particular.
  Durand helped found what is known today as the National Academy 
Museum and School, which I am proud to have in my district. Durand was 
a very accomplished artist of the 19th century and he served as 
president of the Academy for many years. His style was highly detailed, 
a hallmark of the School, and one of his most famous pieces, ``Kindred 
Spirits,'' is often cited as one of the works most emblematic of the 
School's ideals. This painting, which resided in the iconic New York 
Public Library in my district for over 100 years, cemented Durand's 
place at the forefront of the movement created by the Hudson River 
School.
  As the School's prominence grew, many of the painters traveled abroad 
to study and were introduced to the culture of the capitals of Europe, 
the Middle East, and North Africa. These travels inspired many of the 
artists to join with other leaders to found the Metropolitan Museum of 
Art in New York City in 1870. Located in my district on Fifth Avenue, 
around 5 million visitors walk up the steps of this landmark 
institution each year. Some of the School's painters later served as 
trustees and members of the Executive Commiftee for the Met. Today, 
many works from the Hudson River School, including several by Durand, 
hang there.
  Some painters also traveled to the American West, which at the time, 
was an exciting, undiscovered region that captivated Americans in the 
East. The members of Congress were so inspired by the works produced on 
these trips that they dedicated national parks, such as Yellowstone and 
Yosemite, to protect the awe-inspiring landscapes many had only ever 
witnessed on canvas. This spirit of environmental conservation became 
more and more popular, and these paintings were later used to support 
the creation of the National Parks Service in 1916.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the importance of painters 
like Asher Durand and his contemporaries of the Hudson River School, 
whose contributions to our country's art, culture, and society are 
innumerable and still important to every American today.

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