Among the Sierra Nevada, California

Working in oil on canvas, Albert Bierstadt painted this monumental view of the Sierra Nevada in 1868, working from sketches made during his Western expeditions. At 6 by 10 feet, it overwhelms viewers with the grandeur of the American wilderness.

Bierstadt composed an idealized landscape: mountains rise into luminous mist, a waterfall tumbles into a crystalline lake, and deer graze in Edenic peace. He exhibited the painting throughout Europe, promoting emigration to America.

The painting now hangs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC, though visitors often associate Bierstadt with the National Gallery of Art's American collection.