A Western Landscape, Albert Bierstadt

During the time of the Western Expansion, German painter Albert Beirstadt traveled into the uncharted lands of America on six different expeditions between 1859 and 1870 to capture nature at it’s finest on the canvas. His many works provided visions of an untouched West, filled with the magnificent and beautiful resources many Americans felt themselves destined to claim and enjoy. During his lifetime, Bierstadt drew, painted, and made over 450 works of art. His works included paintings of Yosemite and the Rocky Mountains as a way to show nature and its wonders. One of his landscapes was titled ‘A Western Landscape.’ In the painting, large, tree-covered mountains surround a small turquoise lake. Towards the front of the painting, the turquoise lake transitions into a mossy stone shore. In the back of the painting between the mountains is a waterfall and a bird. Waterfalls often represent the continuous flow of life, which shows how this painting represents how peaceful nature and life can be without simple complications. It’s a reminder that it’s our duty to maintain this planet’s well being. States such as Montana and Wyoming have lots of beautiful landscapes and mountains, and many people strive to keep them the way they are. The National Park System encompasses over 400 national parks in the United States alone. They span more than 83 million acres across the states and territories of the U.S.. Albert Bierstadt was one of the first artists to depict the wonderful beauty of the USA, but he definitely won’t be the last.