Drie beren in een bos in Alleghany 1869

Karl Bodmer created this forest scene, "Drie beren in een bos in Alleghany," with etching. Bodmer's depictions of the American West are rooted in a specific historical context. He was part of an expedition in the 1830s that aimed to document the landscape, the flora and fauna, and the lives of Native American tribes. What emerges in his work is often a complex negotiation between scientific observation, romantic ideals, and colonial narratives. This particular image reflects an encounter with untamed wilderness, but it’s worth considering who gets to define "wild" and for whom the land is home. Bodmer’s technical skill captures the density of the forest, but what story does the image tell you about our relationship to the natural world?