This is an oil painting done by Albert Bierstadt around 1870. This a painting of the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie. According to the Brooklyn Museum, “Albert Bierstadt was a skilled showman. Here, he reorganized Rocky Mountain landmarks, exaggerated their scale, and introduced dramatic weather to thrill audiences at a moment when the North American continent was under rapid development.”
When I saw this painting the first thing I thought was wow that is an amazing view. It reminded me of home when the fog is setting in before a storm. After the initial first glance I started to notice the different contrasts in the painting. The sun lit front and the dark ominous background that the clouds create, is very lifelike. At the very back towards the upper left corner you can see Mt. Rosalie peeking through and shining in the sunlight. This painting makes me feel like I am in that valley waiting for the storm to consume the land before me. It makes me want to visit and experience the Rocky Mountains like Bierstadt did.
If I could I would own a copy of this painting because it is an amazing piece of art and I love the feelings I get when I see this painting. If their is a story behind this particular painting I have not heard it. I do however know that artists during this time period from the East Coast and Europe would travel to the west and capture the beauty of it to be brought back and shared with the rest of the world.
Sources: “Storm in the Mountains.” Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 16 Jan. 2019, www.mfa.org/collections/object/storm-in-the-mountains-33126. “A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie.” Brooklyn Museum, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/1558.
Larissa's Art 200X Workspace 
I love this painting!
It has a very ominous look to it, though the sun is peeking through onto the ground. The use of color creates a lot of depth within the painting for a beautiful scene. I love how you said it reminds you of home – my hometown always has fog on the mountain too! It’s also very neat to see the oval shape that draws your eyes to the offset center of the painting, and then my eyes come down to the light grassy area. The detail in the trees and clouds is beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Larrissa
This is a cool piece, something I would love to have hanging in a private library with dark oak and leather. I like that you specifically call out the lighting effect in the mid-foreground, it’s perfectly done and really matches the real-life look of this sort of storm rolling in. It’s interesting to me that you point out how the artist was a showman of sorts, painting a realistic yet exaggerated version of the Rockies for the purpose of impressing people who would likely never see the mountains for themselves. Given the time period I can guess that he perhaps encouraged a few East-Coast residents to head west.
LikeLiked by 1 person