We Gather Together: American Artists and the Harvest

The mutual history of art, agriculture, and American identity as told through the theme of the harvest is examined in Charles C. Eldredge's book We Gather Together, which spans from before the early nineteenth century to after World War II. It highlights parallel developments in land and canvas, showcasing breakthroughs in each field and how agricultural metaphors permeated American visual culture. The harvest came to signify and dominate politics, poetry, and popular culture, representing a primary facet of American identity and nationhood.

Format: Hardback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 18 January 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

The rich and intertwined history of art, agriculture, and American identity is intricately woven through the theme of the harvest. This theme has played a pivotal role in shaping the nation's cultural landscape, from the early days of the Jeffersonian yeoman to the modern era of big agribusiness. In his book, "We Gather Together," Charles C. Eldredge explores this fascinating period, when many Americans were farmers and vast stretches of land were devoted to agriculture.

The book is organized into a series of case studies, each focused on a specific crop. The initial chapters delve into familiar commodity crops like corn, wheat, and potatoes, highlighting their importance in American agriculture. However, the narrative expands to encompass other yields harvested by Native American harvesters, California floriculturists, winter ice cutters, and coastal seaweed gatherers. This novel approach allows for a comprehensive examination of the diverse agricultural practices and artistic expressions that coexisted during this period.

One of the key themes of "We Gather Together" is the parallel developments in land and canvas. The book showcases how artists like Winslow Homer, Doris Lee, and Georgia OKeeffe captured the essence of the harvest in their paintings, while innovators in agriculture, such as mechanical inventors like Eli Whitney and John Deere, and genetic hybridizers like Luther Burbank and W. Atlee Burpee, made groundbreaking contributions to the field. The use of agricultural metaphors permeated American visual culture during this time, influencing politics, poetry, and popular culture. The harvest came to symbolize and dominate American identity and nationhood, representing the hard work, resilience, and ingenuity of the American people.

Through its extensive examination of material and a wide range of artworks from the nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, "We Gather Together" provides a breathtaking glimpse into the complex relationship between art, agriculture, and American identity. The book demonstrates how the harvest has served as a source of inspiration for artists, shaping their artistic visions and capturing the essence of the American experience. At the same time, it sheds light on the economic, social, and cultural implications of agricultural practices, highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers and the broader society.

In conclusion, "We Gather Together" is a seminal work that offers a fresh perspective on the mutual history of art, agriculture, and American identity. By examining the theme of the harvest, the book provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the nation's cultural development, highlighting the ways in which art and agriculture have shaped each other over time. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of culture, history, and agriculture, and it will undoubtedly inspire further exploration and discussion of these important topics.

Weight: 1188g
Dimension: 213 x 261 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520380318