Thomas Cole’s Easel
19th century
Wood, 83 × 41 × 48 in.
Thomas Cole National Historic Site, Gift of Edith Cole Silberstein, TC.2004.5

Cole painted in his studio on this easel. His process would often begin by going out into the mountains or other natural environments, where he made detailed sketches on location that included descriptive notations about plants, colors, and atmospheric conditions. He would later reference these quick studies in his studio, where he would create large his major finished works on canvas.

Back to Online Collections Exhibition