Sketches of Trees (from Sketchbook) 1890

Albert Bierstadt created these "Sketches of Trees" with graphite on paper. Trees are dominant symbols, deeply rooted in cultural memory, and are often seen as the axis mundi, the connection between the earthly and the divine. Consider the Tree of Life, a motif stretching from ancient Mesopotamian art to the Norse Yggdrasil. In Christianity, the tree is irrevocably linked to knowledge, temptation, and the fall of mankind. Yet, across cultures, trees symbolize growth, strength, and the cyclical nature of life. The bare, skeletal branches, as seen here, might evoke feelings of melancholy or introspection, reflecting a collective subconscious understanding of mortality and resilience. Think of how these feelings are also evoked in Caspar David Friedrich’s landscapes, where trees convey a sense of romantic solitude and spiritual yearning. The motif of the tree is a powerful visual shorthand that transcends time. It resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts.