The Place of Humans in Nature and the World
It’s evident that Ralph Waldo Emerson and Asher Durand belonged to Hudson River School. Their artistic works symbolized Hudson River School as the modern America. The two art forms of Durand and Emerson reveal a similar theme in real meaning of nature and humans. Durand’s art work is literally similar to Emerson’s art work and vice versa. All these two artists understood sublime as an expression of God’s power (Durand 56). Both artists were involved in artistic exploration of sublime in line with human relationship and the power of nature.
Their work expressed America as a nation that was trying to be different from the rest of Europe. Their paintings portrayed the unique relationship that the Americas had with their land. Emerson’s essay started a movement of new literature, culture and philosophy that changed how people perceived the world and its surroundings, identified as transcendentalism. Emerson clarifies the relationship between man and nature and how each benefit from one another. He asserts that human kind do not understand and appreciate nature. He further stated” Nature is a vehicle of thought”. Additionally, he says that nature is like a teacher who directs to better place to interact well with the universe (Lewis 130).
Most of Emerson’s work is linked to transcendental thought about God and truth. Emerson emphasizes that truth can be reveled through the appreciation of nature. The Hudson River School transformed Emerson’s words into images to convert and portray the message. The painting depicts the main themes and position of America in the 19th century. These themes portray America as a rural environment with human and nature coexisting concurrently. On the hand, Kindred spirit, which was painted by Asher Durand describe a strong collaboration of nature and human kind (Durand 66).
The two standing men are surrounded by foliage meaning that they are “in a harmony of both”. There is a short broken tree stump in front of the two men which act as a reminder that life can be very impermanent and fragile. In Emerson’s statement “The sodor and filth of nature, the sun shall dry up, and the wind exhale,” these portrays imperfect form of nature. The relationship of humans and the rest of nature have a particular focus on conservation of the environment (Lewis 200). Scientists and researchers have come up with strategies that will offer better avenues to understand how to protect, conserve and preserve nature. These conservation psychologists are trying to implement sustainable utilization of natural resources to ensure mitigation of future negative impacts on environment.
Human beings have been a major player in the deterioration and degradation of the environment due to activities such as hunting, deforestation, mining and many activities. The loss of biodiversity has raised major concern in the globe (Moran 231). Many Governments and organizations have come up in arms to reduce the conflicts of nature and humans. Nature is important to the well being of mankind because a man can acquire resources and source of livelihood from natural phenomena. There are various policies that have been formulated to protect and conserve nature.
The artistic writing about nature conservation allow people to develop strong personal attachment with the landscape. The artistic eye explores ecology that helps to create emotions and color through pieces of art. The art messages on conservation can reach more people in a short period of time. Through arts and writing, reactions from individuals are provoked to act for the sake of nature conservation. Emotions can results to proper decision making on the importance of protecting nature. Art works help to create the feeling that gain insights, discovers unconscious material, and solve problems that are centered in nature. Art works have resulted to creation of parks to conserve important portrays of landscape which improve the concept of environmentalism (Moran 237).
Works cited
Durand, Asher. Kindred Spirits 1849. The Walton Family Foundation.
Lewis, Johnson. “Ralph Waldo Emerson- Texts” class 2001.
Moran, Emilio F. People and Nature: An Introduction to Human Ecological Relations. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub, 2006. Print.