Landscape (from Sketchbook) 1890

This landscape sketch was made by Albert Bierstadt in the 19th century. Barely there, in the upper-left corner, we see a drawing of a tree, its skeletal form reaching upwards and reminding us of the Tree of Life, an archetype that stretches back through countless cultures. This symbol of life’s interconnectedness can be found in ancient Assyrian carvings, where it represents a connection between the earthly and divine realms. Consider also the Norse Yggdrasil, a cosmic tree linking the nine worlds. The tree appears time and again, always shifting yet always tethered to our collective consciousness. Even in Bierstadt's light sketch, the image of a tree, evokes a deep sense of longing for nature and our place within it. Like a dream half-remembered, the tree persists, a testament to its enduring power, its image continuously reborn through the ages.