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Albert Bierstadt immigrated to America with his family at a young age but returned to his native Germany in the 1850s to study art at the Düsseldorf Academy, which was known for its detailed yet romantic style of landscape painting. The artist made several excursions to the American West during his lifetime, during which he accumulated hundreds of drawings and studies that he later translated into finished canvases in his studio. With its dramatic sunset, glowing crescent moon, and abundant natural resources, this landscape evokes an American Eden filled with divine blessings, embodying the influence that Manifest Destiny had on the settlement of the country.Albert BierstadtAmerican1830Solingen, Germany1902New York, NY River Landscape1867Oil on canvas mounted on panel30 1/4 × 50Nebraska Art Association, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Abraham M. AdlerN-137.1961