Albert Bierstadt (1830–1902)
Little Cottonwood Canyon, c. 1870
Oil on canvas, 37 × 29 in.
"Truly all is remarkable and a wellspring of amazement and wonder. Man is so fortunate to dwell in this American Garden of Eden."
—Albert Bierstadt
Albert Bierstadt, now celebrated as America’s greatest landscape painter, visited Utah numerous times between 1860 and 1900, transforming its natural wonders into iconic landmarks of the American imagination.
This painting captures the entrance to Little Cottonwood Canyon, a site of both natural beauty and historical significance. The path meanders through towering cliffs and verdant greenery, with sunlight casting soft highlights across the granite boulders. Two small figures appear in the distance, emphasizing the grandeur of the surrounding landscape. The granite quarries depicted here supplied stone for the construction of the Salt Lake Temple, while further up the canyon lay the silver mines of Alta—now a celebrated ski resort and host site for the 2012 and 2034 Winter Olympics.
Born in Solingen, Prussia, Bierstadt immigrated to Massachusetts as a child. He later studied under Emmanuel Leutze in Germany, where he honed his skills in monumental figurative art. In 1859, Bierstadt joined a U.S. Government survey expedition tasked with documenting the West, an experience that deeply influenced his artistic focus. His sweeping landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Sierra Nevada helped define the American vision of the West and inspired the creation of several national parks.
During his Utah visits, Bierstadt formed lasting friendships and frequently stayed at the home of George Q. Cannon, a prominent leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He often collaborated with local artists, cementing his legacy as both a cultural ambassador and a masterful interpreter of the American wilderness.
