Where can I see The Fountain, No. 1: The Wounded Indian Slaking His Death Thirst?

The Fountain, No. 1: The Wounded Indian Slaking His Death Thirst is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is The Fountain, No. 1: The Wounded Indian Slaking His Death Thirst?

The Fountain, No. 1: The Wounded Indian Slaking His Death Thirst is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

The Fountain, No. 1: The Wounded Indian Slaking His Death Thirst

The Fountain, No. 1: The Wounded Indian Slaking His Death Thirst is a gouache drawing by the Romanticist artist Thomas Cole. It dates from 1843 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Fountain, No.

About this work

Gauche is a thick paint that looks flat and smooth—he used it to brighten the water and the man’s skin.

A man kneels near a small waterfall, drinking from his hands. His face is gaunt, his clothes torn. The forest around him is dark and tangled, almost swallowing the light.

This is Thomas Cole’s 1843 sketch, drawn in graphite and gouache. Gauche is a thick paint that looks flat and smooth—he used it to brighten the water and the man’s skin.

Look closer at Cole’s careful lines. See how the trees frame the scene like a stage.

Overview

The Fountain, No. 1: The Wounded Indian Slaking His Death Thirst is a 1843 drawing by Thomas Cole, a leading figure in the Hudson River School. Created with graphite and white gouache on green wove paper, it exemplifies Cole's skill in blending landscape and allegory.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts a gaunt, wounded man kneeling by a waterfall, drinking from his cupped hands. The surrounding forest is dense and dark, emphasizing the man's isolation. The scene may symbolize the fragility of human life in the face of nature's vastness.

Technique & Style

Cole employed graphite for detailed lines and white gouache to highlight the water and the man's skin. The gouache's opaque quality creates a striking contrast with the graphite's subtlety, while the green paper provides a muted background that enhances the overall mood.

Context

Cole's work often explored the relationship between humanity and the natural world, reflecting his concerns about industrialization's impact on the American landscape. This drawing is characteristic of his romantic and allegorical approach to landscape painting.