Rainbow over the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
1900
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Marion H. Conley
Accession Number
1988.49.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Thomas Moran's *Rainbow over the Grand Canyon the Yellowstone* (1900) captures the majestic drama of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, showcasing the artist's lifelong fascination with America's wild landscapes. A leading figure in the Hudson River School, Moran was renowned for his luminous, romantic depictions of the American West. His earlier sketches from the 1871 Hayden Geological Survey expedition played a pivotal role in convincing Congress to establish Yellowstone as the world's first national park in 2—his vivid watercolors were even displayed on Capitol Hill. Painted in oil near...
About the Artist
Thomas Moran · 1837–1926
Thomas Moran (1837–1926) was an American painter and printmaker of the Hudson River School whose dramatic paintings of the American West played a pivotal role in the creation of the national parks. Born in Bolton, Lancashire, England, he emigrated with his family to Philadelphia as a child. He was largely self-taught, though he apprenticed briefly with a wood engraver and studied the work of J.M.W...