Artists › Thomas Moran

Thomas Moran: sketches and drawings

Yellowstone in watercolour · 1837–1926

Thomas Moran (1837–1926): yellowstone in watercolour. SketchMap Atlas shows 10 sketches by Thomas Moran on the world map, each placed where it was drawn.

English-born American landscape painter. In 1871 he joined a government survey of the Yellowstone region and made watercolour sketches on the spot. Back east his pictures helped convince Congress to protect the area as the first national park in 1872. He returned to the American West many times.

Sketches by Thomas Moran and where they were drawn

Geyser Basin, Yellowstone — Thomas Moran, 1872

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — Thomas Moran, 1872

Half Dome, Yosemite — Thomas Moran, 1873

Canyon of the Rio Virgin, Utah — Thomas Moran, 1873

Shoshone Falls, Idaho — Thomas Moran, c. 1875

Green River, Wyoming — Thomas Moran, 1879

The Pass at Glencoe, Scotland — Thomas Moran, 1882

Mountain of the Holy Cross, Colorado — Thomas Moran, 1890

The Rock of Acoma, New Mexico — Thomas Moran, 1902

See Thomas Moran’s sketches on the map

Every sketch is pinned where it was drawn, so you can follow Thomas Moran from place to place.

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Been to one of these places? Add your own sketch next to Thomas Moran’s.

Where did Thomas Moran draw each work?

Geyser Basin, Yellowstone (1872): drawn at Firehole Basin, Yellowstone. Details
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (1872): drawn at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (44.7188° N, 110.4985° W). Details
Half Dome, Yosemite (1873): drawn at Half Dome, Yosemite (37.7459° N, 119.5332° W). Details
Canyon of the Rio Virgin, Utah (1873): drawn at Virgin River, Utah. Details
Shoshone Falls, Idaho (c. 1875): drawn at Shoshone Falls, Idaho (42.5933° N, 114.4000° W). Details
Green River, Wyoming (1879): drawn at Green River, Wyoming (41.5350° N, 109.4600° W). Details
The Tetons, Idaho (1879): drawn at The Tetons, USA. Details
The Pass at Glencoe, Scotland (1882): drawn at Glencoe, Scotland (56.6820° N, 5.1020° W). Details
Mountain of the Holy Cross, Colorado (1890): drawn at Mount of the Holy Cross, Colorado (39.4668° N, 106.4814° W). Details
The Rock of Acoma, New Mexico (1902): drawn at Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico (34.9969° N, 107.5806° W). Details

About the works

Geyser Basin, Yellowstone, 1872. A rainbow over a geyser basin: a watercolour from field studies of the Yellowstone expedition. Source · Public domain
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, 1872. The yellow canyon walls and the falls above the pines: a watercolour from studies made on the spot. Source · Public domain
Half Dome, Yosemite, 1873. The granite dome between boulders and spruces: a quick watercolour with gouache. Source · Public domain
Canyon of the Rio Virgin, Utah, 1873. Riders cross the river beneath white canyon walls: a trip with Powell’s expedition of 1873. Source · Public domain
Shoshone Falls, Idaho, c. 1875. A stormy sky above the falls on the Snake River: Moran’s “Niagara of the West”. Source · Public domain
Green River, Wyoming, 1879. A mesa above still water and red strata: Moran returned here for many years. Source · Public domain
The Tetons, Idaho, 1879. A blue range above a green river: a watercolour study of 1879. Source · Public domain
The Pass at Glencoe, Scotland, 1882. Golden heather and a stream beneath storm clouds: Moran saw Scotland in 1882. Source · Public domain
Mountain of the Holy Cross, Colorado, 1890. The snowy cross on the slope above a mountain torrent: Colorado in Moran’s watercolour. Source · Public domain
The Rock of Acoma, New Mexico, 1902. Red cliffs above the plain and riders below: a late watercolour by Moran. Source · Public domain

Quick answers

Who was Thomas Moran?

English-born American landscape painter.

Where did Thomas Moran draw?

Yellowstone, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yosemite, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming and more. Every sketch is shown on the map at the place where it was made.

What techniques did Thomas Moran use?

The works on SketchMap Atlas are watercolour.

Can I use the sketches by Thomas Moran?

The works shown here are marked “Public domain” and come from Wikimedia Commons. Check the source link of each work for the exact terms.

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