Mount Lyell above Yosemite 1878

William Bradford painted 'Mount Lyell above Yosemite' during the 19th century, a period when the American West was undergoing rapid transformation. Bradford's landscape participates in a broader cultural narrative of westward expansion and the idea of manifest destiny. Yosemite, with its awe-inspiring natural features, became a symbol of the American wilderness. These images contributed to the creation of national identity, linking it to the sublime grandeur of its landscapes. Yet, these images often overlooked the displacement and marginalization of Native American populations, whose ancestral lands were being appropriated. To understand paintings like this, we can look at period documents and historical studies of the American West, considering its complex interplay of natural beauty, cultural symbolism, and social transformation. The meaning of art is always dependent on the social and institutional contexts in which it is made and viewed.