Thomas Cole painted A Wild Scene in 1831-1832. This painting exemplifies the values of Romanticism, in particular the emphasis on the relationship between human spirituality and nature, which had not previously been examined during the Enlightenment. Romanticism marked a shift away from the Renaissance and the Enlightenment because rather than stressing scientific observation and personal achievement, Romantics took a more holistic, empirical worldview.
In this painting, humans are depicted as being part of nature rather than superior beings. Nature is seen as being in control, and humans are merely surviving within the natural world. This is seen by the artist’s rendering of the humans as naked and their reliance on crudely fashioned weapons for hunting.
This painting was accessed from Wikiart and is part of the public domain.