Night in the Yosemite
1912
Medium
lithograph
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.6953
Art Historical Context
**Night in the Yosemite** (1912) is a captivating lithograph by Joseph Penn, an American master printmaker renowned for his dramatic depictions of landscapes and architecture. Created during the early 20th century, America's national parks were gaining prominence as symbols of natural grandeur, this work captures the mystical allure of Yosemite Valley after dark. Pennell, who traveled extensively to document the nation's beauty, infused his prints with a sense of awe, blending realism with atmospheric effects to evoke the sublime power of wilderness. Lithography, Pennell's preferred medium, w...
About the Artist
Joseph Pennell · 1857–1926
Joseph Pennell (1857–1926) was born in Philadelphia to Quaker parents and displayed an early aptitude for drawing, finding solace in sketching amid a challenging childhood. He received initial drawing instruction from James R. Lambdin and his first etching lessons from Stephen Ferris in 1879. Pennell attended night classes at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art before studying at ...