A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt.

1.     

What is the context and how did that influence the work?

  This painting A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt.Rosalie was created based off of an expedition the artist Albert Bierstadt made in 1863. He wanted to go on this expedition so that he could gain material and experience for his art, specifically his painting. The work that he did from this expedition defined his career and his status as a painter. This painting A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt.Rosalie was a part of many beautiful pictures that captured the ideals of the west specifically the idea of Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was the idea that God had intended for Americans to claim all of the land in America no matter the means. It fueled settlers to pack up everything they owned in the search for a better life in a new place. Albert Bierstadt was capable of capturing the beauty of not only the physical landscape of the west, but also the beauty of the hopeful ideals so many people were clinging to during this time period. Albert Bierstadt incorporates the hope of the age into the painting in the form of light.The current events and excitement of traveling to the west directly fueled Albert Bierstadt’s idea for the painting and inspired him to make this beautiful work.

2.       What is the artist communicating and how?

       In A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt.Rosalie made by Albert Bierstadt communicated two main themes, first the beauty of nature, second the danger of the unknown. The way Bierstadt communicated the beauty of nature is shown in the detail that he includes in the painting. Specific rocks and trees are painted to a very sharp degree that shows the importance of every single piece of the scene beyond the ominous clouds and large mountains. It is also shown through the emphasis or focus of the scene. Although the storm in the background of the scene is what the painting is named after the scene before it is the majority of the painting. The simple nature landscape shows how beautiful nature is and the importance of that beauty. The second theme of the danger of the unknown is shown mainly through Bierstadt’s use of light. The light in the majority of the landscape is pretty steady while it steadily decreases towards the storm except for a patch of bright light before it. The darkness of the storm is emphasized by the use of the bright light just before it. This communicates the danger of the storm and a sense of foreboding and tension towards the storm that is about to unfold over the beautiful landscape before it.

3.       Why do you find it beautiful?

       This painting is beautiful to me, because landscapes are very calming to me. Beyond that I also feel as if looking at this painting anything could happen, a story is about to unfold. A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt.Rosalie captured a moment in time that will never happen again without the technology we have today. Sure it was affected by the painter, and what he specifically wanted to communicate from this piece, but it was based off an adventure and an experience that truly happened. The authenticity of that moment is very easy to see in this painting, it is the core of the beauty that radiates out from it. That moment out of all time is saved, the motion west and the nature that accompanied it is saved through this painting. The use of light in this photo is very dynamic and really draws attention to the storm and the emotion and tension that is within it. Everyone can relate to that nervousness whether it is from a real storm, or a huge project that emotion is real and pops out from the painting. Being able to relate to that feeling, that isn’t being stated in words or in a description is truly beautiful.