born Feb. 1, 1801, Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire, Eng.
died Feb. 11, 1848, Catskill, N.Y., U.S.
British-born U.S. landscape painter, founder of the Hudson River school .
After immigrating to the U.S. with his family in 1819, he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In 1825 Asher B. Durand began purchasing his work and finding him patrons. After settling in Catskill, N.Y., Cole traveled throughout the northeast making pencil sketches of the scenery, from which he later produced finished paintings in his studio. He is famous for his views of the Hudson Valley, as well as for grandiose imaginary vistas.