building the american landscape - Univerza v Novi Gorici

1845), he incited the United States to annex the Republic of Texas, since it was
“manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free
development of our yearly multiplying millions”.
As a result, a disturbing and at the same time expressive scenario was created,
against which only one voice arose to contradict it, that of Henry David Thoreau, a
passionate supporter of non‐intervention in Mexico, that is to say of Resistance to
Civil Government.
If American morals were saved only thanks to Thoreau’s ideas expressed in his essay
on Civil Disobedience published in 1849, American progress identified itself in a
strange ideological tangle. The numerous facets of the landscape included new
means of transport, pioneers, farmers, technological inventions, the struggle
against the Indians and the conquest of new territories. In the context of material
progress, the cultural elements were the result not so much of political initiative,
but more of individual initiative.
The work by John Gast (1842‐?), American Progress (1872) [Figure 88], is picture,
which summarises very well the salient features of those years and at the same
time portrays a famous allegory of Manifest Destiny. Although Gast was a painter of
modest artistic talent, he has given us a work which represents the most evident
signs of the aforementioned climate. The scene is well‐known, as coloured prints
were made of it. The painter uses the canvas to freeze a scene, which immediately
appears to be alive and communicates the idea of a continually evolving present.
The dominant figure in the centre of the picture is a modern goddess, Columbia,
who represents the personification of America herself. She moves lightly forward
with a book in one hand, while she extends telegraph cables with the other. In the
distance, on the right‐hand side ships can be seen arriving on the new continent
and railroad tracks depart from the coast, carrying trains which fly across the
territories of the United States. The locomotives run at full steam with smoke rising
from the boiler stack. Nothing can prevent the advance of the new means of
transport, even though the tracks appear to stop a few metres in front of the train.
The coach and Pony Express appear to launch themselves at the same speed
towards the centre of the picture, but they can only perform where the power of
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