Flag (from Sketchbook) 1891

Albert Bierstadt, known for his grand landscapes, created this pen and ink sketch of a flag as part of a sketchbook, now residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sketch offers an intriguing glimpse into Bierstadt’s perception of national identity. Consider that Bierstadt, a German-American, achieved fame for his idealized depictions of the American West during a period of westward expansion and conflict with indigenous populations. The flag, a symbol of national pride and unity, is here rendered in simple lines, almost as if the grand narrative it represents is being questioned or deconstructed. Bierstadt made several paintings of the American West, which, at the time, were seen as promoting the idea of "Manifest Destiny," a belief that it was the destiny of the American people to expand their dominion and spread their culture and traditions across the continent. Reflecting on this sketch, one is left to wonder about the complexities of identity and representation during a pivotal era in American history.