Although born in England, Cole identified passionately with the United States, his adopted home. Inspired by artists such as Turner, he believed that landscape painting could express fundamental truths about the natural world and our existence. Using sketches made on site, Cole painted this on a trip to London, matching subject to audience: Brock died defending the British colony of Upper Canada from American invasion in the War of 1812. Standing on American soil, we look north across the border: Nature itself – storm clouds and rainbow – commemorates the fallen soldier.
