Final answer:
American painters in the 19th century and thereafter developed their own style by learning from European traditions and then evolving to create distinctly American forms of art, like Abstract Expressionism. European influences were key, but America's unique context and history shaped its artistic movements and identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Throughout history, American painters grappled with a lack of direct access to the historical art and education available in Europe. Early American artists like Gilbert Stuart and John Singleton Copley made journeys across the Atlantic to learn from European masters and bring those techniques back home. However, the revelation of American art came in the 19th century when American artists began to find their own expression of history in the context of the American experience, distinct from its European counterparts.
The importance of European influence is highlighted by the influx of immigrant artists to the United States in the 1930s, introducing European Modernism and influencing the direction of American painting. Abstract Expressionism emerged in New York during the post-World War II era, asserting a new American center for the art world previously dominated by Paris. Artists like De Kooning took on the influences of Picasso and European Surrealism and Cubism but revolutionized them into something uniquely American – an abstract style charged with emotion and characterized by dramatic brushstrokes.
Ultimately, while American art was initially influenced significantly by European movements and styles, it evolved into something distinctly American. Movements such as Romanticism, Impressionism, Modernism, and eventually Abstract Expressionism played vital roles. American art history is a rich tapestry of cross-cultural influences and the search for a unique American identity within the art world.