“Sunset of the Prairies”
This beautiful, but quite small oil on paper painting is by the German American artist, Albert Bierstadt, and is titled “Sunset of the Prairies”. It was painted circa 1881 to 1882 and is one of his most well-known works. In this piece, Bierstadt depicts a vast landscape with indigenous Americans presumably making their way home in the setting sun.
Though Bierstadt got his start in the Hudson River School of Art, he is most remembered for his paintings depicting the American West. These are the paintings that brought him fame in his day. This is one of those pieces part of the movement now referred to as the Rocky Mountain School of Art.
This painting displays Bierstadt’s talent with the luminism art style. With his brush, he was able to create a soft, warm, infusing glow of light. Bierstadt was criticized by critics of his day for using colors that he thought the scene should display rather than what was actually there. Today, he is celebrated for those artistic choices.
“Sunset of the Prairies” is currently in a private collection.
For more on Albert Bierstadt, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
