IJsbrokken in de Niagara before 1875

Edward Bierstadt created this image of ice formations in the Niagara River, likely as a photograph, in the late 19th century. It was included in a book of scenes from America. Bierstadt’s image reflects the cultural fascination with the American landscape during this period. The Niagara Falls, a natural wonder, became a popular subject for artists, photographers, and writers who sought to capture the sublime power and beauty of the American wilderness. This imagery was used to promote tourism and national identity, but it often overlooked the impact of industrialization and commercial development on the environment. The depiction of the Niagara Falls as a pristine, untouched landscape obscures the social and environmental realities of the time. To understand this image, we need to look at the history of landscape photography and the cultural values associated with nature in 19th-century America, and to consider how those values might have masked other, less picturesque realities.