The American Renaissance

We’ve all heard about the Renaissance. It’s one of the most important times in our world’s history, a time of enlightenment, and peace; but how many people know of the American Renaissance? A prosperous time in America full of beautiful creations, and brand new ideas, or as the meaning of the word means, the American Renaissance marked the rebirth or revival of creativity in America. The American Renaissance is important to me because it involves architecture, art, and writing. These things seem to help me see the beauty in a world that often seems dark, and that is why I chose the American Renaissance as my event for this paper.

The American Renaissance took place from around 1830-1917. Today, it is often thought of as a time when authors thrived and wrote beautiful articles full of thoughts unheard of. However; the American Renaissance wasn’t just a time for authors; it was a time for architects and artists too. It was a time that inspired many people back then, but it also inspires many people today, like me. The Renaissance wasn’t just a time for people to create, it was a time when Americans were also figuring out how to transport those creations around the country. Many people were learning how to think their own thoughts, and stand for those thoughts. They were learning how to be Americans.

This was a time when artists like John James Audubon, writers like Henry David Thoreau, and architects like Frank Furness thrived. It was a time for the creative, the resourceful, and the determined. A time when the confidence in our nation was restored, and when the general belief that the “United States was the heir to the Roman law, Greek democracy, and Renaissance Humanism…” was restored.

John James Audubon inspired me because of the way he mixed beautiful colors in a picture to help us see the beauty around us. John James Audubon, (Jean Rabin, or Jean-Jacques Fougeré Audubon) was born on April 26th, 1785 in Les Cayes, St.Domingue, (now known as Haiti). Jean had a very complicated childhood. His mother was his father’s servant, not his father’s wife. The children were sent to their kind and merciful stepmother in France, who adopted Jean and his sister, and changed Jean Rabin’s name to Jean-Jacques Fougeré Audubon. Because Jean was the son of Captain Jean Audubon, he was educated in many things that most children did not experience, such as art, music, and natural history. He was given plenty of leisure time to explore the world around him. When Jean was 18 years old, his father sent him to the Americas to escape the wars. He then changed his name to John James Audubon, so that it would be easier for him to fit in. John was in Pennsylvania leading a mining operation when he began studying the birds, and nature around him. He then began an earnest attempt to showcase or depict them better than his successors. The next year he met his true love, Lucy Bakewell, and once the mining operation began to fail, they moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where John opened a General Store, and where his first son was born. During this time, John and Lucy had three more children, 2 little girls, and a baby boy, but sadly, both of the little girls died, and on top of all of the grief, the general store failed too. The Audubons were growing poor, and John was forced to go on hunting trips to feed his family. John was then thrown in jail for unpaid debts. Everything seemed to be falling to pieces for the Audubon family. So, John decided to go south and start anew. He studied and painted birds because he found it a pleasurable pastime, and thought he could sell the paintings for money to feed his family. The family moved to New Orleans and was surviving off of Lucy’s money from being a governess and John’s paintings and drawing lessons. During this time, John seemed to be mastering his skills as an artist, and began creating a collection of beautiful, life-like paintings. He soon found a publisher but these paintings did not sell well in the United States, so Audubon decided to sail the seas to the United Kingdom, and sell his paintings there. This poor man became very prosperous. The people were lured in not only by his beautiful paintings, but by his endearing character and tales of life on the American frontier. Soon Audubon produced a publication of all his paintings, called: Birds of America which featured more than 400 paintings and drawings. He then followed these works by publishing 1839’s A Synopsis of the Birds of America. During this time John was continuingly sailing back and forth between the UK and America. He was now prosperous, and his family was thriving. He moved them upsate to a rural estate where he continued working on his publications and passion, until the end of his days. John James Audubon inspired me with his perseverance, determination, faith in God, and his beautiful view of the world even when it seemed as if it was completely falling apart. “Ah! How often when I have been abroad on the mountains has my heart risen in grateful praise to God that it was not my destiny to waste and pine among those noisome congregations of the city.” - John James Audubon.

Henry David Thoreau has inspired me with his amazing writings, showing us the beauties of imagination and his determination to stand up for what he believed in. He was an amazing and brilliant man who wrote poetry and saw beauty in the world, but also saw the flaws in it and did his best to stand up against those things. Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12th, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts. Not much is known about Thoreau’s childhood except the fact that he had 3 siblings, and that his father ran a pencil making company, while his mother helped the family by taking boarders in their home. Henry had always been a bright child and loved nature, so when he began going to Harvard he thrived and excelled in all his studies. However, after a time Henry was forced to postpone his education because he was ill. He went back and graduated in 1837. After this, he struggled to figure out what to do next. He tried opening a school with his brother; however, the school collapsed when his brother became ill. During this time, Henry met his mentor and friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson, who introduced him to Transcendentalism. A thought that (as Biography.com describes it) shows “the importance of empirical thinking and of spiritual matters over the physical world.” Emerson inspired Henry in many ways. He inspired his most popular book, Walden, he inspired him to be an abolitionist, and inspired many of his other political beliefs. Henry wrote some of his most memorable and known articles, stories, and essays while living at Walden Pond. This is where he lived a more relaxing life, studying philosophy, occasionally working at the pencil factory, writing, and studying the world around him. He wrote a story about a trip he had with his brother John when he was younger, called A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers. He also wrote about his experience living at Walden Pond. It was called, as you probably know, Walden. While living at Walden Pond, he was arrested for not paying taxes, and this is what inspired one of his most famous essays, Civil Disobedience. It has inspired many political movements around the globe. Thoreau then left Walden Pond to keep watch of his friend Emerson’s house while he was in England. While there, he continued studying nature and writing. During the rest of the years in his life, he defended an acquaintance in a case against an abolitionist, and continued writing until he became sick and died. Henry David Thoreau was an amazing man, and he has inspired me in many ways, one of the ways being these simple words: “The world is but a canvas to your imagination.” - Henry David Thoreau.

Frank Furness was an amazing architect and a true inspiration to me. His architecture is mesmerizing, and transports you to places you never thought you could go. Frank Furness not only designed houses and things such as these, but he also designed libraries and schools. He is one of my favorite architects, and today I’m going to tell you why. Frank Furness was born on November 12th, 1839, in Philadelphia, where most of his works are today. His father was Rev. William Henry Furness, (a close friend of Ralph Waldo Emerson.) and his mother was Annis Pulling Jenks. Frank grew up in an anti-slavery home, and their basement was a stop on the underground railroad. Frank Furness was surrounded by many influential people such as William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Philips. He attended a private school in the city but never went to a college or a university. He did, however, become an apprentice to architect John Fraser. He then worked and learned from Richard Morris Hunt. He learned a lot about the Eclectic Medieval and Victorian forms of architecture, which he enjoyed using throughout his career. He then went and joined the Union Army during the Civil War. He was in the army for multiple years, fighting for what his parents had taught him. Afterwards, he returned to New York to work for Richard Morris Hunt once again. When Frank Furness returned to Philadelphia, he began partnering up with other architects such as his former mentor John Fraser and friend, George Hewitt. Together they won the competition to design The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, a beautiful building with a grand Victorian style. This building is what pushed Furness in the big leagues, as a major architect of that time. Between these times Furness went on a trip to Washington D.C. to become the supervising architect for the U.S. treasury department, which was of course an honor. Then, Hewitt left the firm, and Furness began working on his own. He later partnered with architect Allen Evans, and they started the firm Furness and Evans. The name was later switched to Furness, Evans, and Company, because the company was hiring many young and inspired architects. Furness worked on many projects and buildings with his team and has designed over 600 beautiful buildings in Philadelphia. His company lasted for over 2 decades after his death. Over time many of Furness’ buildings have been demolished but a couple of years ago a new found interest in his buildings was uncovered. Frank Furness’ designed many buildings such as the Fisher Fine Arts Library, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and many more monumental landmarks in Philadelphia. Philadelphia wouldn’t be what it is today without Frank Furness. He and many of the other people I have written about have inspired me in ways I will never be able to fully explain, but I hope I have given you a small glimpse of the impact these people have made on my life today.