What do you think is the meaning of this painting? Serious please thanks?

Many works by artists of the Hudson River School can be interpreted as nationalistic representations of manifest destiny. Additionally religious connotations are sometimes included as the westward expansion and displacement of Native Americans followed God's plan. The paintings focuses on Americas natural beauty and formations as a rival to the pantheon or other ancient European historical sites. It celebrates Americas history and grandeur. It also emphasizes man's insignificance when compared to the grandeur of God's creations.

Many similar landscapes often have a light and dark side. The dark side represents the uncivilized areas (often Native Americans are depicted here) while the light side represents the areas civilized through manifest destiny.

I don't think there is a meaning, other than to record a moment in time when the light and the air and the water and the mountains came together in just the right way, causing the artist to gasp at the resulting beauty.

If Bierstadt "meant" more than that, he had more than enough brains and talent to make his meaning crystal clear to everyone. Yet there's not even a hint of an allegory in the painting.

So I think I have grasped his meaning.

I don't know if it has a meaning or if the artist intended for it to have a meaning.
But what I think it represents it's the majestic contrast between the grandeur of nature and the small presence of human life in that scene.
It's so incredible when you go to a place like that... and you see how big and great nature is and in that moment you feel to small and insignificant.
It's amazing. It's a very strange feeling.

Meaning? My guess it is like "Lord of the Ring": escapism into a fantasy world.

That is not meaning in the sense you may mean but I think that is all there is to this painting. And I like it for that.

To me, this painting is very serene and calm, but there is also uncertainty. If you look off on the right hand side, we can no longer see the mountains because the clouds are obscuring our view.

So, maybe the meaning is that this is the calm before the storm, or enjoying the present before going into the uncertain future.