The South Dome, Yosemite Valley
Classification
landscapes
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of Mrs. Gustav E. Kissel
Accession Number
1949-102-2
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Thomas Moran's *The South Dome, Yosemite* (1887) captures the majestic grandeur of Yosemite's iconic granite formation—now famously known as Half Dome—in the heart of California's Sierra Nevada. Born in Britain and later a cornerstone of American art, Moran1837–1926) was a leading figure in the Hudson River, renowned for his luminous landscapes that romanticized the American West. This painting, now in the Smithsonian American Art through a generous museum purchase funded by Mrs. Gustav E. Kissel, exemplifies his lifelong passion for translating wilderness into art. Created during a pivotal e...