A View of Yosemite Valley 

Thomas Hill painted "A View of Yosemite Valley," capturing the majestic landscape through his distinct artistic lens. Hill belonged to the second generation of Hudson River School painters, who shared an aesthetic vision characterized by idealized natural scenes. This depiction of Yosemite reflects the 19th-century American perception of the West as an unspoiled Eden, ripe for exploration and economic exploitation. Yet, we can see how this romanticized view often came at the expense of the Indigenous peoples who were the original stewards of this land. Their displacement and marginalization are glaringly absent from this picturesque scene. The Native Americans are reduced to small figures on horseback, engulfed by the landscape. Hill's portrayal invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between romanticism, nationalism, and the erasure of Indigenous histories. The emotional appeal of the landscape is undeniable, but it should not overshadow the narratives of dispossession that are embedded within it.