Sketch of a Ship for the Landing of Columbus (from Sketchbook) 1891

Albert Bierstadt made this pencil sketch of a ship for the landing of Columbus, probably in the late 19th century. Bierstadt was part of the Hudson River School, a group of landscape painters who romanticized the American West. The sketch is preparatory, yet it hints at how historical events were translated into grand narratives. What's striking is the focus on Columbus's ship, rather than the indigenous people or the landscape it was entering. In this way, the sketch becomes a commentary on the cultural and institutional dynamics of history-making. Understanding the social conditions in which this art was produced helps us understand how images like this were used to support a particular vision of American expansion and progress. We can find out more from historical records, the artist’s letters, and writings about the art market at the time. The meaning of art is always shaped by its social and institutional context.