On October 6, the Olmsted Network hosted “Olana: Frederic Church’s Vision of Art and Landscape,” an hourlong history webinar marking the bicentennial of Frederic Church (1826-1900), America’s foremost landscape artist. Sean Sawyer, President of The Olana Partnership, explored Church’s 40 year-long project of creating Olana, his 250-acre masterwork of American landscape design overlooking the Hudson River in Hudson, NY.
Sawyer discussed Church’s close collaboration with Calvert Vaux on elements of Olana—particularly the eccentric hilltop villa inspired by his global travels and collecting—and shared the progress in the ongoing restoration of Olana’s landscape and its interpretation as a National Historic Landmark at the intersection of art and landscape. The talk coincided with the publication of Olana: Frederic Church’s Vision of Art and Landscape (Rizzoli Electra), featuring essays by Barry Bergdoll, Sean Sawyer, and Thomas Woltz.
The Olana Partnership (TOP) is the non-profit partner of New York State Parks at Olana State Historic Site. TOP’s mission is to restore and enhance Frederic Church’s Olana, elevate its significance, and welcome diverse, contemporary audiences for learning and enjoyment.
Nearly 350 people registered to attend this webinar—watch the full recording on our YouTube channel here.
