Departure of Hiawatha

Born in Germany and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Albert Bierstadt was a member of the Hudson River School who became one of the great painters of the American West. Known for his dramatic use of light and romanticized western landscapes, Bierstadt's paintings inspired many Americans to explore the western frontier.

Bierstadt presented this painting to Longfellow at a dinner held in the poet's honor at London's Langham Hotel on July 9, 1868. A menu listing the many courses served at the dinner is affixed to the back of the painting.