The Hunter's Return
Object Description
In this idyllic valley scene, a settler family has carved out space in the woods for a small farm. The painting suggests that they live in a bountiful relationship with nature: Father and son stride out of the woods carrying the prize of a successful hunt, and fresh cabbages button the slope descending toward the lake.
By the time Cole completed this work, industrial development had already diminished the forests of the northeastern United States. From his home in Catskill, New York, the artist witnessed deforestation from railroad construction and leather tanning, and he lamented what he called the “ravages of the axe.” Perhaps The Hunter’s Return is a response to these environmental changes. Portraying a small cabin nestled in the woods, the picture offers a nostalgic rendering of agrarian rather than industrial ideals, the stumps in the foreground symbolizing both Euro-American progress and nature’s fragility.
—Text taken from the Carter Handbook (2023)
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Wild Spaces, Open Seasons: Hunting and Fishing in American ArtOctober 7, 2017–January 7, 2018
Wild Spaces, Open Seasons brings together iconic works that explore outdoor subjects from the early 19th century to World War II, exploring American artists’ fascination with depicting a communion with nature that was receding in the face of industrialization.
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From Remington to O’Keeffe: The Carter’s Greatest HitsOctober 6, 2018–March 22, 2019
During the renovation, this exhibition features highlights from the permanent collection, including paintings, photographs, and sculptures, by some of America’s most renowned artists.
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Teacher Resources
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What is a landscape painting?
Why is the grandeur of the American landscape such a compelling subject?
Why are land and the landscape so important to the national identity of the United States?
How might a work of art reflect or relate to important moments in history?
Why are certain groups left out of the national imagination?
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Grades Pre-K–1
Students will create a layered landscape exploring shape and texture. First, students will draw their own landscape using geometric shapes. Then, they will make rubbings of different texture plates in varying sections of their landscapes (one plate for the ground, another for the sky). If they would like, students can then draw in other landscape elements such as trees, mountains, or grass.
Grades 2–6
Read N. Scott Momaday’s “The Delight Song of Tsoai-talee.”
Both Cole and Momaday show great reverence for nature by highlighting the beautiful details of its components. Students will write a poem about this painting in the style of Momaday’s poem. Students should find three items in the painting and write one line describing each, starting with “I am.” After writing these, students should consider what mood these descriptions convey. Now, they will write a sentence using the same format as Momaday’s concluding line, “You see, I am ____, I am ____.” Example: “I am the brown cap waving above. I am the delicate apron that covers a mother. I am the warm, furry dog enjoying a hug. You see, I am soft, I am soft.”
Grades 9–12
As a class, investigate the primary resource, “Essay on American Scenery” (1836) by Thomas Cole. Together discuss and summarize Cole’s five essential elements of a landscape. Ask students to discover and name the natural resources in this landscape. Cole used them to symbolize what he thought was unique about the young American nation. Ask students to think about a place they would choose to represent in a work of art. Students will write the five elements that would be essential to include in an image of their place and why they chose them. Ask students to sketch the place they chose, including the five elements.
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Grades 2–4
Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead in Art Exploration (Interactive)
Let the Carter’s collection be a source for discovering artists’ use of math, science, and engineering concepts as creative fuel for their work. Make connections between S.T.E.M. processes and art.
Learn more and register by visiting Connect2Texas and filter for “Amon Carter Museum of American Art.” If you have questions, contact us by email or call 817.989.5011.