The Towers of Tower Falls, Yellowstone c. 1875

Thomas Moran made this watercolor painting, “The Towers of Tower Falls, Yellowstone” to capture the stunning landscape. Moran employs the fluid and transparent qualities of watercolor to depict the geological formations. The washes of color capture the light and shadow across the rocks and the movement of the falls. The artist layers the paint, building up depth and texture in a manner that mirrors the slow, additive processes that formed the landscape itself. Consider the labor that went into creating this image. Moran traveled to the site, and then spent hours, perhaps days, carefully mixing pigments and applying them to paper. This painstaking process is in sharp contrast to industrial modes of production. It's a record of an individual's encounter with nature, rendered with great sensitivity. By valuing the work of the hand, we gain insight into the importance of artistic skill, and the cultural value we place on seeing the natural world through an artist’s eyes.