Nevada Falls, Yosemite 1872

Albert Bierstadt created this painting of Nevada Falls, Yosemite during a period of heightened interest in the American West. As we gaze at this grand vista, it’s important to reflect on the history embedded in these landscapes. Bierstadt, like many of his contemporaries, presented the West through a romantic lens, often overlooking the complex realities of westward expansion. What does it mean to paint scenes of unspoiled wilderness, when those lands were the ancestral homes of indigenous peoples, who were then being dispossessed and displaced? The figures within the landscape, seemingly enjoying the view, are placed in stark contrast with the historical backdrop of conflict and dispossession. Bierstadt’s work invites us to consider how landscape art can both celebrate and obscure aspects of our history. As we admire the artistic skill, let’s also acknowledge the narratives that remain unseen.