The Voyage of Life: Childhood

Thomas Cole

1842 · Oil on canvas · National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

Size2:3 ratio

Frame

$59Unframed print · made to order

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Complete the setHangs well with these two

This print

The Voyage of Life: Childhood

The Voyage of Life: Manhood

The Voyage of Life: Old Age

3 × $59 at 16 × 24 in, unframed = $177 → $159.30 as a set · 10% included · free shipping

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Giclée-printed to order on heavyweight matte fine-art paper

Ships worldwide in 3–6 business days after production

Arrives perfect or we reprint it — free

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About this work

Artist: Thomas Cole (1801–1848)
Year: 1842
Medium: Oil on canvas
Original size: 134.3 × 195.3 cm
Collection: National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Movement: Hudson River School
Series: The Voyage of Life

The first of Cole's four-part Voyage of Life. An infant in a golden boat glides out of a dark cave into a lush spring landscape, a guardian angel at the tiller and flowers crowding the banks of the River of Life. Each picture of the series pairs a stage of life with a season and reverses the boat's direction from the one before. Cole painted the first set in 1840 on commission; a dispute with the owner over exhibiting it led him to paint this second set in Rome in 1841 and 1842, which he then showed with great success in several American cities. The Cincinnati collector George Shoenberger bought the four canvases by 1846, and they later spent decades in a Cincinnati hospital. The National Gallery of Art in Washington bought them in 1971.

This exhibition-poster edition shows the whole work beneath original typography set in-house. The original is in the public domain.

Where it works

An infant in a golden boat gliding into a spring landscape with a guardian angel, for a nursery, child's room or bedroom at 16×24 or 24×36 in black or natural oak. Cream, sage or pale pink; it opens the four Voyage of Life canvases.

Style: Exhibition poster of a Hudson River School painting
Era: 19th century (1842)
Orientation: Portrait
Palette: cream & beige
Mood: grand
Rooms: living room, dining room, dorm room, hallway or entryway
Good gift for: housewarming, art lovers

Size. Prints at 12×18, 16×24, 24×36 in — 12×18 for a shelf, desk or a gallery-wall grid; 16×24 above a desk, console or in a hallway; 24×36 as the statement piece above a sofa or bed.

Framing. Exhibition posters sit best in a slim black frame with no mat — the typeset margin is the mat.

Pairing. Pairs as a set of three with other famous painting prints (10% off three or more).

Details & materials

• Exhibition poster — original, drawn in-house • Heavyweight matte fine-art paper, giclée printed at 300 DPI • Sizes: 12×18, 16×24, 24×36 in; 12×18 and 16×24 and 24×36 also available framed in black or natural wood • Made to order; colours may vary slightly from screen

Shipping & returns

Produced in 2–4 business days, then shipped from the facility nearest you. Delivery is typically 3–6 business days (US/UK/EU) and 5–12 worldwide. Because each print is made to order we don't take change-of-mind returns, but if it arrives damaged or flawed we'll reprint or refund it — no return needed. Full policy →

Is this the whole painting, or a crop?

The whole work, uncropped. The exhibition-poster edition sets the complete image above typography designed in-house.

Is The Voyage of Life: Childhood in the public domain?

Yes. Thomas Cole (1801–1848) died more than 70 years ago and the work was published before 1929, so the painting itself is public domain. This print is a reproduction made from a high-resolution scan of the original, which is held by National Gallery of Art.

What is it printed on?

Heavyweight matte fine-art paper with pigment inks, made to order in 12×18, 16×24 and 24×36 inches; the two larger sizes are also offered framed. Colours are matched to the scan, not brightened.

When was The Voyage of Life: Childhood painted, and in what medium?

The Voyage of Life: Childhood dates from 1842 and was made in oil on canvas; the original measures 134.3 × 195.3 cm.

What size works above a sofa or bed?

For a standard three-seat sofa or a queen bed, 24×36 inches reads as a single statement piece; 16×24 suits a narrower wall or a pairing. The print's proportions follow the original, so a landscape-format painting is wider than it is tall.

About this design

A museum-exhibition poster of Thomas Cole's The Voyage of Life: Childhood — Childhood — an infant in a golden boat emerging from a dark cave into a flowering dawn, a guardian angel at the helm — shown whole and uncropped beneath gallery typography. The Hudson River School, styled as a blockbuster exhibition print. A gallery-style exhibition poster: a celebrated public-domain artwork shown whole and uncropped beneath original exhibition typography set in-house — printed to order on heavyweight matte fine-art paper. Three sizes (12×18, 16×24, 24×36 in); the 16×24 and 24×36 are also offered framed. Part of the Madten Exhibition Posters Collection. — — — Printed to order and shipped by our production partner, Gelato.

Buy with confidence

The Madten promise

Gallery-grade archival giclée. Rich pigment inks on heavyweight fine-art paper (or gallery-wrapped canvas) — built to last, not a poster-shop print.

Arrives perfect or we reprint it — free. Every piece is made to order; if it shows up damaged or flawed we remake it, no return needed.

Free worldwide shipping. Made & shipped from the facility nearest you — most orders arrive in ~4–8 business days.

Secure checkout. Payments handled by Stripe; we never see or store your card.

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