Yosemite

The Best Possible View


Thomas Moran was one of the artists who in the mid-nineteenth century produced landscape images of the West that contributed to and reinforced the development of an American identity.   These views, however, were frequently constructed, edited, or manipulated to reinforce a sense of national pride and feeling of unity during and immediately following the Civil War.  This ethereal view of the famous site of Half Dome in Yosemite was based on Moran’s many sketches of the scene, drawings and photographs by other artists, as well as his recollections of his many visits ther
Thomas Moran, landscape, Thomas Cole, Yosemite, mountains, drawing, watercolor, etching

Exploring the Grand Canyon


Thomas Moran painted this beautiful watercolor of the Grand Canyon on a 1901 trip that was organized and paid for by the Santa Fe Railroad.   The Railroad treated Moran and other artists to a three-week excursion at the Canyon, together with a guide to point out the most picturesque views.  The Railroad’s aim was to get artists to paint the sites which would encourage tourists to visit the Canyon.  It is a revealing example of artists col
Thomas Moran, America, landscape, tourism, Grand Canyon, National Parks, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Santa Fe Railroad