Bernese Alps, as Seen near Kusmach 1859

Albert Bierstadt created this landscape of the Bernese Alps using oil paint on canvas. But it's not just the subject of the painting that speaks to the land; the very materials do too. The oil paints would have been mixed from ground pigments, and the weave of the canvas support would have determined how the paint was laid down. Think, too, about the brushes he would have used – hog bristle most likely, their stiffness allowing him to build up layers of detail, creating texture that mimics the ruggedness of the mountains. Consider, too, Bierstadt's process. He would have likely started with quick plein air sketches capturing the atmosphere of the location. He then translated these into a large-scale studio painting back in his workshop. Looking closely, you can almost see the labor involved in building up these layers, stroke by stroke, which gives this landscape its majestic feeling. It reminds us that even in a seemingly untouched natural scene, human hands and intentions are always present.