Tree (from Sketchbook) 1890

This pencil drawing of a tree is by Albert Bierstadt and comes from one of his sketchbooks. Bierstadt was a leading figure in the Hudson River School, a mid-19th century American art movement that focused on landscape painting. These artists saw the American landscape as a symbol of national identity and expansionist destiny, often imbuing their paintings with a sense of the sublime and the divine. However, Bierstadt's landscapes were not just celebrations of nature; they were also products of their time, reflecting ideas about westward expansion and the relationship between humans and the environment. The artistic institutions of the day, like the National Academy of Design, played a role in shaping artistic tastes and promoting certain styles, including landscape painting. To better understand the context of this drawing, we can turn to historical archives, letters, and exhibition records to gain insights into the artistic, social, and cultural milieu in which it was created.