Artwork
Study of a Tree
Study of a Tree is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist Albert Bierstadt. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work is categorized as a landscape and appears in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is part of the museum’s collection.
The painting Study of a Tree, executed by Albert Bierstadt in 1850, depicts a single tree rendered in oil on paper that is mounted on board.
The work is categorized as a landscape and appears in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is part of the museum’s collection.
Its physical dimensions are 23.5 cm in height by 20 cm in width. As a landscape, the composition focuses on the formal qualities of the tree, emphasizing texture and silhouette within a natural setting.
Technique & Style
Albert Bierstadt's Study of a Tree is executed in oil paint on a paper support that has been mounted onto a board. The work, dated to 1850, functions as a landscape study focusing on the depiction of a single tree. Its physical dimensions measure 23.5 cm in height and 20 cm in width.
The piece is categorized within the landscape genre and is held in the American Wing collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Study of a Tree is an oil painting on paper mounted on board created by Albert Bierstadt. While some records suggest an inception date of 1864, the authoritative date for the work's creation is established as 1850. The piece measures 23.5 cm in height and 20 cm in width.
It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within the American Wing as a landscape genre work depicting a tree.
Overview
Albert Bierstadt, a German-American painter associated with the second generation of the Hudson River School, created Study of a Tree around 1864. This work, an oil on paper mounted on board, presents a focused depiction of a single tree within a natural setting. Unlike his expansive canvases of the American West, this piece offers a more intimate exploration of a specific natural form, highlighting a different aspect of his artistic practice.
Context
Bierstadt, a prominent figure in the Hudson River School, is widely recognized for his monumental canvases that chronicled the dramatic vistas of the American West and the era of westward expansion. However, this particular study reveals a more personal engagement with nature. It provides insight into the artist's working methods, showing how he might have refined his understanding of individual natural forms before integrating them into his larger, more ambitious landscape compositions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albert Bierstadt (January 7, 1830 – February 18, 1902) was a German-American painter best known for his lavish, sweeping landscapes of the American West.
