Exploring Frederic Church's Cotopaxi

What inspired Frederic Church to travel to Ecuador and paint Cotopaxi?

• A personal experience with a volcanic eruption

• The writings of Alexander von Humboldt

• His fascination with South American culture

• A commission from the Detroit Institute of Art

How did some commentators interpret the painting 'Cotopaxi' during the Civil War?

• As a scientific study of volcanic activity

• As a representation of South American culture

• As a metaphor for the violence of the Civil War

• As a depiction of the beauty of nature

What does the clear blue sky in the painting symbolize according to some interpretations?

• The purity of nature

• The calm before the storm

• Hopefulness and redemption

• The vastness of the universe

Which art movement is Frederic Church associated with?

• Impressionism

• Hudson River School

• Cubism

• Surrealism

What term would the 19th century use to describe the overwhelming beauty of 'Cotopaxi'?

• Sublime

• Gothic

• Picturesque

• Romantic