A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie 

Editor: This is Albert Bierstadt's oil painting, "A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie." The dramatic light is just stunning. I'm curious, what do you see in this piece, especially thinking about its materiality? Curator: What strikes me is the artist's use of oil paint itself to depict both the overwhelming scale of the Rockies and the specific textures of the landscape. The paint mimics the geological processes shaping the mountains, and the weather patterns eroding them. We see the direct trace of his labor—dragging pigment to render geological history and present natural events. Editor: So, you're saying the painting itself is a physical record of these processes? How does that connect to the social context? Curator: Consider the late 19th century context: westward expansion, industrialization, and the commodification of the American landscape. These sublime paintings fueled that expansion by picturing land for profit, making it consumable. The canvases themselves became commodities, transported and exhibited, generating capital. Look closely; what's being extracted here, beyond the literal depiction of mountains and skies? Editor: So, it's not just about the view, but the means by which that view is presented and consumed… It makes you think about whose labor shaped this landscape, and who benefits. Curator: Precisely. The materials and production are deeply intertwined with larger social and economic forces. The artist is performing and capitalizing on the popular view of the "sublime." Editor: This definitely changes how I see it. Thanks for highlighting that connection! Curator: My pleasure! Art becomes really fascinating when you follow the materials.