Fur Traders Descending the Missouri River
George Caleb Bingham uses Fur Traders Descending the Missouri to remind us that romanticism comes in many forms. This painting dwells in one of my lifelong pet peeves. The romanticisation of hard work, especially physical labor bugs me. This irritating practice shows up in all aspects of life - even art.
This painting revels in an in-between place. The hard work of its situation lies in the before and after. Hunting and skinning animals is back breaking and... dirty. But there's no sign of that here. Not to mention the tremendous weight of hauling cargo on to and off a tiny canoe while balancing all the while. So, these boat bundles float down the Missouri to represent hidden hard work.
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https://www.ladykflo.com/george-caleb-bingham-fur-traders-descending-the-missouri/