America, 1835 to 1870 - The Hudson River School encompasses two generations of painters inspired by Thomas Cole''''s, awesomely Romantic images of America''''s wilderness - in the Hudson River Valley and also in the newly opened West. The particular use of light effects, to lend an exaggerated drama to such elements as mist and sunsets, developed into a subspecialty known as Luminism.

In addition to Thomas Cole, the best-known practioners of this style were Frederic Edwin Church and Albert Bierstadt.