Hot Springs of the Yellowstone 

Curator: This work is a watercolor entitled "Hot Springs of the Yellowstone," by Thomas Moran. Editor: It has a dreamy, almost ethereal quality. The light is so soft and diffused; you can almost feel the moisture in the air. It really captures the raw, untamed beauty of the American West. Curator: Moran was deeply involved with documenting the Western landscape. These images played a huge role in the effort to establish and popularize the National Parks in the late 19th century. There was such a powerful connection to place. Editor: The color palette is remarkable. The golden hues of the terraces contrast with the cool blues and greens of the water. Notice the rainbow in the upper right corner. Is there any underlying meaning? Curator: I would imagine it has to do with ideas around promise. Hope for the future of American expansion, perhaps? Remember the Homestead Act, how so much was being done to advertise a new Eden for settlers and immigrants alike. It wasn’t all that hopeful for Native communities of course. Editor: Absolutely. Symbolically, rainbows frequently point toward notions of passage or covenant. Maybe what Moran is hinting at is that new chapter, the new landscape of America being realized at that time. Curator: Moran was trained in the traditions of European landscape painting, but it’s easy to see how profoundly moved he was by the stark realities of the western territories. Editor: Agreed. He captures something elemental. The painting transcends simple topography, reminding us how important this work became for tourism to the Parks in the century to follow, and perhaps even the present day. Curator: Well, on that note, let’s leave it there for our visitors to consider. Editor: A splendid journey to Yellowstone in those days. Thank you.