The Landing of Columbus 1893

Albert Bierstadt painted “The Landing of Columbus” to commemorate Columbus's arrival in the Americas. At the heart of this image we find the act of raising a flag. Flags are not mere cloths, but potent symbols of dominion. They can be seen throughout history, from Roman legions planting standards in conquered lands to medieval banners declaring feudal allegiance. This act of staking claim is deeply embedded in the human psyche, an outward expression of our innate desire to define and control territory. Consider the psychological weight carried by these symbols. Just as the Roman fasces, a bundle of rods signifying power and authority, evolved into symbols adopted by later regimes, the flag in Bierstadt's painting carries its own complex history and set of associations. Over time, it is not merely the symbol that persists, but the underlying psychological impulse it represents.