Who was Albert Bierstadt?

The artist who helped spread the travel bug in 19th century America

Back before travel brochures, the internet, and instagram, how did people know about the beauty waiting to be discovered beyond the outskirts of their town or city? Without color photography, how could people truly comprehend the vast and beautiful nature that sprawled between the two coasts of America? That’s where Albert Bierstadt came in.

Although he wasn’t the first artist to capture uncharted territory on canvas, Bierstadt became one of the foremost painters of America's uninhabited frontiers. It was through his highly-detailed depictions of its dramatic landscapes, towering rock formations and crystalline water that a lot of Americans got their first glimpse of the world beyond their neighborhood—and the promise that came with it.

Indians Spear Fishing, by Albert Bierstadt, 1862 (From the collection of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston)

The Emerald Pool, by Albert Bierstadt, 1870 (From the collection of Chrysler Museum of Art)

Bierstadt was born in Prussia in 1830, and was brought to live in the United States in New Bedford, Massachusetts at just a year old. He had a flare for art from an early age, and spent his youth sketching with crayons, before switching to oils at the age of 21. It was when he travelled back to Dusseldorf in 1853 that he officially studied painting and perfected his technique. Back in New Bedford a few years later with his newly acquired training, he dabbled in teaching art before dedicating himself to full-time painting.

The artist’s subject of choice was landscapes. Spending time in alpine scenery while he studied made portaying nature his forte, and he recieved a lot of praise when he exhibited one of his paintings of Swiss mountains, Lake Lucerne, at the National Academy of Design. This helped put his mastery of capturing stunning wilderness panoramas on the map. He was hailed as a bright new star on the American art stage and was elected an honorary member of the Academy.

Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite Valley, California, by Albert Bierstadt, 1871 - 1873 (From the collection of Cincinnati Art Museum)

In 1859, Bierstadt joined a land surveyor for the U.S. government called Frederick W. Lander on a trip west. He documented the trip with photographs and sketches, and inspired by the scenery he witnessed, he began reproducing what he saw on large canvases in his studio back in New York. Four years later he returned west, this time with author Fitz Hugh Ludlow. This trip provided more material for his paintings, as well as furnishing him with a wife: Rosalie Ludlow divorced Fitz Hugh on their return and married Bierstadt instead.

Emigrants Crossing the Plains, by Albert Bierstadt, 1867 (From the collection of National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum)

Bierstadt’s paintings were popular. Not only were they technically proficient, but allowed their viewers to marvel at serene, unpopulated vistas that they would never get to witness in real life. Many would have heard of places like the Rocky Mountains or Yosemite, but few would ever see them. Viewers lapped his work up. His presence was requested by every explorer venturing out west, including the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad who asked him to visit and paint the Grand Canyon.

When Bierstadt finished one of his gigantic paintings, it would become quite an event. Audiences would flock to see a new thrilling vision of nature being unveiled, often bringing opera glasses to study the minute details of the canvas. He was known for his skills as a showman, as he often exaggerated scale, introduced dramatic weather patterns and reorganized landmarks, such as in A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie,

Lake Tahoe, by Albert Bierstadt, 1872 (From the collection of Amon Carter Museum of American Art)

Not everyone was a fan however. Some of Bierstadt’s contemporaries criticized his overly romanticized depictions, stating that his use of light was excessive and unrealistic. This didn’t impact the artist’s commercial success: his paintings sold at record prices and he exhibited frequently. His artwork The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak was purchased for $25,000 in 1865 (approximately $480,558 today).

View of Donner Lake, California, by Albert Bierstadt, 1871-1872 (From the collection of de Young Museum)

Bierstadt’s fame did not last. As fashions changed, the art world shifted their interest towards more impressionist styles, and his landscapes and theatrical lighting fell out of favour. In 1876 Bierstadt and his wife moved to Nassau in the Bahamas to be in warmer climes, as Rosalie was suffering from consumption.

Nassau Harbor, by Albert Bierstadtca. 1877 (From the collection of de Young Museum)

Although his work was largely forgotten after his death in 1902, he was a prolific artist completing over 500 paintings in his lifetime. By drawing people’s attention to the majesty of the natural world his work also played a role in renewing people’s interest in preserving these areas and establishing National Parks.

Explore more Albert Bierstadt paintings, here.

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