Yosemite
1868
Albert Bierstadt was the ultimate hype man for the American West, and this 1868 masterpiece is a perfect example of his dramatic flair. Towering granite cliffs rise majestically from the calm water, while tiny figures on the shore remind us just how small humans are compared to nature's grandeur. As a leading figure of American Romanticism, Bierstadt traveled with surveying expeditions to capture these breathtaking vistas, effectively selling the dream of the frontier to an eager Eastern audience through his glowing, larger-than-life canvases.
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