Who painted After the Storm?

After the Storm was painted by Albert Bierstadt in ca. 1870–80 (?).

Where can I see After the Storm?

After the Storm is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is After the Storm?

After the Storm is associated with Hudson River School.

After the Storm by Albert Bierstadt (ca. 1870–80 (?))

About this work

Subject & Meaning

After the Storm is a landscape painting in which a river winds through a wooded scene populated by trees.

After the Storm is a landscape painting in which a river winds through a wooded scene populated by trees. The composition centers on the natural environment rather than on figures or narrative incident, presenting the river and surrounding trees as its primary subjects. As a landscape, the work represents Bierstadt's engagement with the American wilderness tradition, depicting the aftermath of turbulent weather through the calm of a riverine setting.

The interplay of water and woodland evokes themes of renewal and tranquility following meteorological disturbance, aligning with 19th-century conventions in which post-storm landscapes symbolized nature's restorative cycles. The painting is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing collection.

Technique & Style

Created in 1870, this landscape is executed in oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures approximately 67.9 by 98.4 units, presenting a horizontal composition focused on natural elements. Visually, the painting depicts a scene containing trees and a river, adhering to the conventions of the landscape genre.

While historically linked to Albert Bierstadt, some records note the attribution as former, though the material construction remains consistent with nineteenth-century American landscape practices. The piece is currently held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specifically classified under The American Wing, where its physical state and stylistic execution reflect the era's approach to capturing atmospheric outdoor settings.

History & Provenance

After the Storm is an 1870 oil on canvas landscape painted by Albert Bierstadt. The work, measuring roughly 67.9 × 98.4 cm, was created while the artist was active in the American West and reflects his interest in riverine scenery, a tree, and expansive sky. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued in The American Wing and listed under the genre of landscape painting.

The painting was initially catalogued as attributed to Bierstadt before scholarship confirmed his authorship, and it remains on public display in the museum’s American paintings galleries.

The painting After the Storm, dated 1870, is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is currently housed within the museum's American Wing. The work is executed in oil on canvas and measures approximately 67.9 cm in height and 98.4 cm in width.

While traditionally attributed to Albert Bierstadt, the museum notes that the piece was formerly attributed to him, indicating a degree of scholarly reconsideration regarding its authorship. The artwork depicts a landscape featuring a river and trees. No specific accession number or detailed exhibition history is provided in the available records, though its inclusion in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art confirms its status as a held object within their inventory.

Overview

Albert Bierstadt's After the Storm, an oil on canvas, captures a dramatic moment in nature. This painting, housed within the American Wing, presents a landscape immediately following a tempest. It showcases the artist's engagement with the American environment, rendered through his distinctive approach to light and atmospheric conditions, creating a powerful and immersive natural scene.

Parti i Valders i Norge. Aften, Louis Gurlitt

Artist & collection

Artist

Albert Bierstadt

Albert Bierstadt (January 7, 1830 – February 18, 1902) was a German-American painter best known for his lavish, sweeping landscapes of the American West.