Mt. Rainier from the Southwest 

Albert Bierstadt’s painting of Mt. Rainier, likely made in the late 19th century, captures the scene with oil on canvas, a traditional fine art medium. Bierstadt built up the scene with layers of paint. Up close, you’d see the rough texture, and visible brushstrokes that give vibrancy to the landscape. This was achieved through labor, both the artist's skilled hand and the industrial production of paint and canvas. The canvas itself, made from woven fibers, provides a structured surface for the artist's vision. Each dab and stroke contributes to the overall composition, carefully arranging color to evoke the majesty of nature. The painting romanticizes the American West, reflecting a period of expansion and industrial growth. Bierstadt's technique elevates the landscape to something sublime, even as that landscape was being reshaped by human activity. So, while this may seem like a straightforward landscape, it embodies complex relationships between art, labor, and the changing world.