The Subsiding of the Waters of the Deluge
Thomas Cole · 1829
Why it's great
A rainbow arcs over a quiet landscape as the great flood recedes, with a lone figure on a rock. Thomas Cole painted the moment of hope after the Flood. The glowing sky and the bare rocks show the world renewed. It's a majestic painting.
Where to see it
📍 Smithsonian American Art MuseumWashington, D.C., United States
Open in Maps ↗Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Thomas Cole was born in England and moved to the United States as a teenager, settling near the Hudson River in New York. He founded the Hudson River School, a group of artists who painted America's wild landscapes. His paintings often carried messages about nature and civilization. He died in Catskill, New York, in 1848.
