Travel the world - letter to a friend -

Letter to a friend Dear friend, I am traveling around the world to appreciate the work of famous artists in history. I am currently where Albert Bierstadt painted the famous portrait of the Niagra Falls that was dubbed Among the Sierra Nevada, California. Albert painted the pictures in 1868 using oil based paint on canvas measuring approximately 183cm by 305cm (Neset). London is regarded one of the cities with great architectural designs ranging from the palaces around city and the cathedrals that portray the rich artistic influence on the city. My main interest and motivation for spending money and time traveling to the City was, therefore, to experience the culture and art of London, to learn the various kinds of art within the city that may have influenced Albert in his career. In his painting, Albert depicts ambient photographic-like scenery of a lake amidst rocky mountain cliffs with grazing deer on the shore in the foreground. The cheap means of travelling to London from Huston Texas was through the Turkish airlines that cost $610 to and fro. The great London atmosphere also extends its hotels with varying affordable rates. Within the city of London, I am staying at the Central Park Hotel, a three star hotel located at the heart of the city that costs £43 per night (FareCompare. com).
London is the capital city of the England in Europe popularly known for its monarchy system under the rule of a queen. There are nearly over 300 languages spoken in the city, however, its main culture mainly ties around the arts, museums and various festivals. In particular, as for architecture, London prides itself of a number of landmarks and cultural iconic objects that are globally associated with the city such as the Big Ben, as well as the Buckingham Palace. The city is also popular for the fast foods vendors that specialize in making the burgers, pies and pizza that forms one of the main popular foods among most city dwellers and workers. In terms of entertainment, the city is best recognized for its particular preference for rock music dating from the 1960s and is the home for various globally renowned rock bands and musicians. The city is also home for some of the globally recognized teams in the game of soccer. Like other major cities across Europe, London has an oceanic temperate climate with the four climatic seasons like most of Europe (The Guardian).
Albert made his iconic photograph-like painting using oil-based paints and soft brush to make the portrait on canvas measuring approximately six and ten feet in size. Albert gracefully employs the effect of light and texture in the painting (Smithsonian American Art Museum). For instance, he balances between the texture of the cliff on the right portion, which are smoother, and the woods on the edge and mountains that appear rough creating a balance in the picture. Dark colors have been applied on the clouds and the top corners with bright color appearing in the middle ground with some spotlights of the sun providing harmony and dramatic lighting to the painting. Albert also employs use of meticulous details to idealize the real image of nature as depicted by the crooked tree trucks shapes. He also incorporates various colors to depict warmness in the deer at the edge of the lake.
The painting presents various objects ranging from the calm bright light illuminating on the lake surface, the clouds, the rocky mountain and deer grazing on the forested area at the edge of the lake. The painting takes the form of 2D with main emphasis on the depth and texture. The various colors helps to bring out certain symbolism that reflected the events within the romanticism period such as yellow alternating with bright and dark combination of grey to symbolize calmness and ambience that was much needed.
The painting was done during the romanticism period as evident in his choice of landscaping subjects that incorporated the use light that common contemporary critics have regarded to be excessive. The period is purported to have begun in the 1800s and ended up in the late 1850s and was as a reaction t the sociopolitical norms brought about the by the age of enlightenment. The painting emphasizes on atmospheric elements such as mist and clouds. The period mainly focused on creating a clam atmosphere through the use of oil and brush on canvas that persist up to date.
Albert was born in 1830 in Germany and travelled across the world mostly in London and the U. S where he died after a long battle with T. B in 1893 He did not receive formal education in his early years until 18 years later where he began painting and advertised himself as a painting instructor. His main motivation was Hasenclever, who died before Albert could become his student; nevertheless he was later influenced by other painters such as Emmanuel Leutze.
Currently, the work is owned by the Smithsonian American Art Museum located in Washington DC. It was acquired from Helen Huntington the granddaughter to William Dinsmore, who the first owner of the painting in 1873. Through the trip, it is evident that Albert main influence might have arose from rich artistic impression of the city. The trip could have been much easier if I would have begun from certain points of interest such as museums to pave way for the next areas of historical and architectural importance.
Yours sincerely
Works Cited
FareCompare. com. Cheap Flights from Houston to London – HOU to LON (reverse). 2013. 1 March 2013 .
Neset, Arne. Arcadian Waters and Wanton Seas: The Iconology of Waterscapes in Nineteenth Century. New York: Peter Lang, 2008.
Smithsonian American Art Museum. Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2006. 1 March 2013 .
The Guardian. London city guide. 2013. 1 March 2013 .