Albert Bierstadt's paintings of the American West are some of the most important historical and artistic accomplishments of the nineteenth century. Many artist of the time had made several explorations of the area, very few could match Bierstadt's abilities to convey and depict the magnificent region to the american public. Painted from sketches of his first trip west in 1859, "Indians Spear Fishing" depicts a broad landscape occupied by three native indians in a canoe. The lighting is lifelike and the landscape is incredible, emphasizing Bierstadt's vision of a perfect West. Bierstadt traveled the frontier with Colonel Frederick Lander's U.S. Government Expedition.
