Ships in Moonlight 1859

Albert Bierstadt probably painted this small oil on canvas study to prepare for a much larger canvas. The way that Bierstadt has built up the image with small brushstrokes is clear. Notice how he has manipulated the medium to convey a sense of light, particularly in the way the moonlight reflects on the water. Although he is primarily known for his grandiose landscapes, here, Bierstadt has chosen to depict ships, and these ships were themselves objects of tremendous industry. Enormous amounts of labor and raw material were needed to build and maintain these ships, and these ships were integral to global trade and, of course, colonialism. We should think about this painting not only in terms of aesthetics but also in terms of its material, as it can tell us more about the context in which it was produced and the wider social issues it touches on.