Landscape. Hill and Dale 

Albert Bierstadt painted "Landscape. Hill and Dale" in the 19th century, a period marked by westward expansion in the United States and an increasing interest in the natural landscape. Bierstadt, a German-American painter, made a name for himself with his grandiose depictions of the American West, yet here he turns his eye to a more pastoral scene. While seemingly benign, landscapes like these played a role in shaping national identity and justifying territorial expansion. The romanticized view of nature often overlooked the displacement and marginalization of indigenous populations. There is an inherent tension between the aesthetic appreciation of the land and the political and social realities of its possession and use. Bierstadt’s technical skill is evident in the detailed rendering of the landscape, and his emotional connection to the land comes through in the way he captures the light and atmosphere. What do you feel when considering nature as both a personal sanctuary and a site of historical complexity?