"The Wood Cutters"

As America saw its frontier expanding westward during the latter half of the nineteenth century, the ideal of taming and settling the “Wild West” became a common theme in American arts. Increasingly, paintings depicted untamed landscapes with human figures dwarfed by the grandeur of mountain or forest. Henry Ward Ranger was an active painter during this time, and drawing from Impressionist styles and the French Barbizon School, he painted beautiful landscapes scenes; one of the most striking depicts two wood cutters, tiny specks of white and red in the middle of an autumn forest. This painting, entitled “The Wood Cutters,” symbolizes beautifully the expanding American frontier and elicits a feeling of reverence and respect for the majesty of nature.

Born in January of 1858 in New York State, Ranger began painting and drawing as a child and, encouraged by parents and peers, moved to New York City at the age of twenty to formally study art. It was there that he was first introduced to paintings of the French Barbizon School (Wikipedia, “Henry Ward Ranger”). Like George Inness, Ranger was

drawn to the beauty and realism of the Barbizon paintings. That these paintings clearly influenced Ranger’s own painting style is clearly shown in “The Wood Cutters.” The unfinished scene—a scaled-down vignette—portrays an uneventful, yet truthful occurrence: the chopping down of a tree. Ranger captures a moment and leaves it up to the viewer to interpret it and apply further meaning. Though the autumn-tinged forest dominates most of the painting, our eyes are drawn instantly to the two figures standing next to a pile of chopped wood. Additionally, the lines of the painting emanate from above and beyond, and spill onto the little people as if heaven were granting its approval to their labors. Certainly Ranger designed “The Wood Cutters” to symbolize the expanding American frontier. Presumably, these two small figures are pioneers readying the way for more to come. They are hard at work, and even though their influence on the landscape will be prominent, the painting makes it clear that nature will always trump man’s efforts in majesty.

After residing in New York City for a few years, Ranger, like so many of his fellow American painters, relocated to Europe to further his career as a painter. Although he initially visited Paris, he settled in Holland, where he began studying with artists of the Hague School (Wikipedia, “Henry Ward Ranger”). They too were influenced by the French Barbizon School, and sought to infuse their art with more realistic settings and impressions of them. Their focus on nature and light is reflected prominently in the works of Ranger, whose favorite subject matter was the woods. It was during his first year in Holland that Ranger painted “The Wood Cutters” (1884). With an Impressionistic feel, the painting features short brush strokes, and warrants a viewing from a distance to let the eye blend the colors together. One of the most praiseworthy aspects of the painting is the way that Ranger utilizes these brush strokes to create a warm, approachable atmosphere. The lovely, soft light evokes feelings of reverence and respect for nature and its stunning, simple beauty. This style also more accurately represents how one would truly perceive a forest scene: leaves and branches blended together in browns and yellows, and a light blue sky blended with cloudy white. It is a serene setting, and leaves the viewer reflecting on his or her own appreciation of nature.

Eventually, Ranger moved back to the United States and set up a studio in New York City. He continued painting landscapes and became a leader of the “Tonal” school of painting, showcasing landscapes with a colored hue, and an emphasis on mood and feeling (Wikipedia, “Tonalism”). Although “The Wood Cutters” was painted many years earlier, it showcases this “Tonal” method of painting, and undoubtedly served as a springboard for Ranger into this new school of painting. In this respect, Ranger was a visionary man, paving the way for future artists and artistic schools of thought.

Even though Ranger was relatively successful as a painter throughout his life, he is not nearly as well-known as some of his fellow American painters, such as George Inness, and James McNeil Whistler. Although I am not entirely sure of the reasons for this, I am certain that it was not a lack of talent on Ranger’s part. While walking through the American Dreams Art Exhibit at the Museum of Art, I liked several of the paintings, but “The Wood Cutters” made me really stop and look and study what I saw. As a painting in a museum, it is one that can be admired for its sheer beauty. Yet, it is much more than a simple landscape—it is an interpretation of the American Dream of going west. It demonstrates the relationship that we have with nature; we have the power to work and change our surroundings, but we will always be shadowed by nature and God. In my interpretation of the painting, the descending diagonal line from the top corner brings light to the wood cutters—God is helping them, approving of their task. So too, then, does the painting represent the American Dream, and the ideal of accomplishing anything in this great land with hard work and God’s help.

America has seen countless incredible artists in its relatively brief history. With the constant evolution of the populace and its culture, American artists have been continually required to adapt their styles in the quest to find their own. Henry Ward Ranger was no exception. Showing great skill from a young age, Ranger worked to perfect his talent and style of painting, and ventured to Europe and back to accomplish it. His painting, “The Wood Cutters” demonstrates the skill and style this man had, and it transmits his belief in the American Dream, and the quest for expansion among the unknown.