Colburns Butte South Utah 

Thomas Moran created this watercolor painting, titled ‘Colburns Butte South Utah’ in 1873. It captures a landscape in Southern Utah and reflects the cultural moment of westward expansion in the United States. Moran was part of a broader artistic and political project. Artists, writers, and photographers were recruited to portray the landscape as sublime and full of promise. This imagery was then used by railroad companies and the US government to promote settlement and resource extraction. Notice how the composition invites the viewer to imagine themselves in this space. Moran’s skillful use of light and color enhance the sense of the region's natural beauty. But this aestheticization often obscured the realities of westward expansion, including the displacement of Indigenous communities and the exploitation of natural resources. As art historians, our job is to critically examine the visual codes and cultural references within such artworks, using historical records to understand their original context and broader implications. Art always reflects social values.