Seals

Albert Bierstadt painted "Seals," an oil on paper, sometime during his career. Bierstadt was part of the Hudson River School, whose paintings often aligned with the Manifest Destiny ideology of the time. "Seals" departs from the grand, panoramic landscapes typically associated with the movement. Here, Bierstadt offers a more intimate glimpse into nature. What does it mean to focus on the animals of a place rather than the landscape itself? The seals are given distinct personalities. The larger seal has its head thrown back in a roar, a display of strength. The smaller one sits quietly, almost reflectively. Are these seals symbols, perhaps of an emerging America announcing itself on the world stage? Or could they represent something more tender, like familial bonds? What we see in this work depends on the stories we tell ourselves about our relationship with the natural world.