AMERICAN ART

The traditional, academic hierarchy of painting genres is as follows: history paintings, portraits, genre paintings (everyday life), landscapes, and, finally, still-life paintings.

Regarding the first of these, history paintings, who were the foremost American followers of this so-called Grand Manner? How were their works similar? How were they different? What were the themes and sources for these works?

For what reason(s) were history paintings so highly regarded-not just in America but in Europe as well-or, put another way, what did they offer to viewers? Why, in your opinion, would scenes of historical and religious significance-though oftentimes relating to foreign cultures and distant lands-resonate with a burgeoning American society seeking independence, self-definition, and a unique cultural identity? And, finally, what can be said about the distinctly American tendency to excavate "modern" history for viable and suitable subjects?