Wooded Landscape 

Albert Bierstadt painted this "Wooded Landscape" capturing the serene beauty of nature with his romanticized style. As one of the foremost painters of the American West, Bierstadt’s work frequently intersected with the expansionist sentiments of the 19th century. Here, the dense forest and a small structure on the left invoke the concept of the sublime—a sense of awe mixed with fear in the face of nature’s grandeur. However, his landscapes often gloss over the realities of westward expansion, including the displacement and violence inflicted upon Indigenous populations. How do we reconcile the undeniable beauty of these paintings with the historical narrative they often obscure? Bierstadt’s work invites reflection on the complex relationship between nature, culture, and history. His art is a reminder of the stories we tell ourselves about progress and the land.