Vancouver (?) (from Sketchbook) 1890

This is a sketch of Vancouver, part of a sketchbook by Albert Bierstadt. As a painter associated with the Hudson River School, Bierstadt was known for his grandiose depictions of the American West. This sketch offers a glimpse into his creative process, shaped by a specific cultural and historical context. During the 19th century, the concept of Manifest Destiny drove westward expansion. Artists like Bierstadt played a role in romanticizing this expansion, often overlooking its devastating impact on Indigenous populations. While the sketch itself seems innocuous, it’s essential to consider the larger narrative it participates in. Whose stories are amplified and whose are silenced in these portrayals of the landscape? Consider how the aesthetic appreciation of nature can be intertwined with the erasure of Indigenous presence and histories. This piece invites us to reflect on the complex relationship between art, identity, and the stories we tell about our world.