The Hudson River School, America's first major art movement, emerged in the early 19th century as a reaction to industrialisation and environmental degradation. Painted by Thomas Cole in 1826, Kaaterskill Falls showcased a burgeoning American aesthetic that broke free from European influences.

Commissioned at his Cedar Grove studio near the falls, this masterpiece marked a shift away from the formal portraiture of Gilbert Stuart and Rembrandt Peale. Cole's sweeping landscapes celebrated the natural beauty of America, declaring independence not just in art but also in spirit.

In Cole’s painting, the autumnal forest and cascading water exemplify the Romantic movement, where nature's grandeur elicits awe and emotion. According to the philosopher Edmund Burke, this power is 'astonishment.' This work symbolises a new appreciation for America as an aesthetic entity, distinct from its European forebears.

Today, as we face climate change and environmental ruin on a much larger scale, might a similar art movement arise? Or will technology and social media overshadow such profound expressions of nature's sublime?