Storm in the Rocky Moutains, Mt. Rosealie. Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902). Chromolithograph. London: Thomas McLean, 1869. 24 1/4 x 38 1/4 inches sheet, 37 x 49 1/4 inches framed. Impressive in scale and lavish in detail, Albert Bierstadt’s great paintings, engravings, and chromolithographs capture the poetry and the majesty of the wilderness.
He was among the most successful artists of the 19th century, helping capture America’s optimism in her outlook on its own Manifest Destiny. His images of grandeur only added to America’s fascination with the mythic West and the spirit of adventure and discovery that it represented.
The combination of imagery and actual elements resulted in glorious compositions that were based as much in reality as in the ideal. While his landscapes retain their accuracy on flora and fauna and remains true to actual locations, a sense of wonder and grandeur override the experience with his work. In educating the American public about the West, Bierstadt depicted a landscape which could rival any in Europe in sublime magnificence, while conveying a distinctly American pioneer spirit.
The beauty of his work arises not only from the clarity and skill of his painting, but from his understanding and ability to portray the notion of Manifest Destiny.