Thomas Moran - Hot Springs of the Yellowstone [1872]

Thomas Moran - Hot Springs of the Yellowstone [1872], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

In 1872, this vista of the American West would have seemed like a view from another planet. These strange rock terraces holding pools of brightly coloured water are hot springs in what is now Yellowstone National Park.

Most of what artist Thomas Moran painted is accurate. As the hot water bubbles to the surface, it cools and forms the layered terraces. The colour of the water depends on which minerals or algae are present. Where you see red or pink-coloured water, that’s iron oxide; yellow indicates sulphur; green, algae. The stretch of blue in the distance appears when the water gets hotter than 167 degrees. The super-hot water absorbs the red rays of the sun and reflects an intense blue.

The mist and rainbow framing the mountain are probably poetic additions. Moran thought certain “improvements” to nature helped viewers feel the wonder he experienced firsthand. Moran never forgot this trip West. After 1872, he always included a Y (for Yellowstone) in his signature.

[Oil on canvas, 41.1 x 76.2 cm]