Fir Trees and Storm Clouds
Medium
oil on paper mounted on canvas
Dimensions
35 × 47 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
American Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
Accession Number
1982.37
Tags
male
About this artwork
Albert Bierstadt made his first journey West in 1859, opening the eyes of other American artists to the potential for inspiration in the Western landscape. This atmospheric study is generally associated with his inaugural 1859 trip, but may also belong to a later Western visit in 1870. The low horizon and vividly observed sky place the painting within the tradition of European plein air (open air) oil sketching, similar to the work of John Constable. Even though the landscape occupies only a sma...