Summit of the Sierras 1872 - 1875

Thomas Moran made this watercolor, Summit of the Sierras. Look closely, and you’ll see how the artist applied thin washes of pigment to the paper. With these delicate layers, he has built a scene full of light, and atmosphere. Watercolor painting may seem a world away from industrial modes of production, but in Moran’s time, the expansion of railroads and tourism drove an appetite for images of the American West. Artists like Moran provided those images. It took incredible skill to capture the immensity of the landscape. Moran had to be precise, even as he worked quickly to capture the fleeting effects of light and weather. Yet it's worth remembering that in reproducing these majestic landscapes, artists like Moran were, in effect, contributing to the narrative of progress. This progress was built, of course, on natural resources and the labor of many, often at the expense of others. Paying attention to these factors is crucial for understanding its full meaning.