American Icon

Valley of the Yosemite, 1864 by Albert Bierstadt

Of all American painters of the West, my favorite is Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) and he wasn't American by birth. He is best known for his spectacular landscapes of the unsettled West. He was born in Germany and was two years old when his family emigrated to our shores and settled in New Bedford, Massachussets.

Beginning in 1859, he made three trips west, each time making oil sketches on paper. Returning to his studio he used these sketches and studies to paint huge detailed panoramic views (some 6 feet by 10 feet) of Western scenery. His paintings emphasized the spectacular landscape, sometimes exaggerating what he had seen and changing a few details to make the scene more interesting.

Though his paintings commanded huge sums, Bierstadt was not held in particularly high esteem by the critics of his day. His use of uncommonly large canvases was thought to be an egotistical indulgence as his paintings would invariably dwarf those of his contemporaries when displayed together. His ego, they complained, was evident in the size of his paintings.

Bierstadt realized that in order to keep the rich and famous buying his paintings he would have to emulate their opulent lifestyle so he lived extravagantly, spending fortunes on travel, entertaining, and a mansion on the Hudson River.

Sadly, his work eventually fell out of favor, the mansion burned to the ground, and he died in New York City flat broke.

Just paint it!