The Voyage of Life: Old Age

E22564

"The Voyage of Life: Old Age" is the final painting in Thomas Cole’s allegorical series depicting a man’s spiritual journey through the stages of life, here portraying the twilight of life and the approach to eternity.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf allegorical painting
painting
religious painting
artHistoricalSignificance important example of American religious landscape painting
major work of the Hudson River School
artist Thomas Cole
collection National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
colorPalette somber tones
countryOfOrigin United States
creator Thomas Cole
depicts a distant vision of heaven
a guardian angel
a river symbolizing the course of life
a spiritual journey
an elderly man
heavenly light
old age
stormy waters
the angel pointing toward heaven
the approach to eternity
the elderly voyager praying
the final stage of human life
the river nearing its end
follows The Voyage of Life: Manhood
genre allegorical art
landscape painting
hasAllegoricalMeaning trust in divine guidance at the end of life
hasSeriesConcept life as a voyage on a river
inception 1840s
languageOfTitle English
location National Gallery of Art
movement Hudson River School
originalCommissioner Samuel Ward
partOf allegorical cycle on the stages of life
partOfSeries The Voyage of Life
precededBy The Voyage of Life: Manhood
seriesIncludes The Voyage of Life: Childhood
The Voyage of Life: Manhood
The Voyage of Life: Youth
seriesPosition fourth painting
symbolizes preparation for eternity
the soul’s final journey
the twilight of life
theme Christian faith
divine providence
hope beyond death
mortality
salvation

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
The Voyage of Life: Manhood
followedBy
The Voyage of Life
hasPart

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