Half Dome and Royal Arches, Yosemite, from Glacier Point c. 1870

This watercolor entitled 'Half Dome and Royal Arches, Yosemite, from Glacier Point' was created by Samuel Colman. Notice how Colman orchestrates the composition around contrasts. The massive, monumental forms of Half Dome and the Royal Arches are softened by a delicate watercolor technique. The light and shadow dapple the landscape, but the muted palette evokes a somber, contemplative mood. The structure of the painting invites us to consider the relationship between nature and representation. Colman’s artistic interpretation captures Yosemite’s sublime grandeur, reducing it to shades of grey, blue and tan. Consider the interplay between the representational and the abstract. The painting functions as both a window onto a landscape and an exploration of color, tone and form. The romantic sublime is here tempered by a modern interest in surface and structure.