Yosemite Valley
1889
Thomas Hill captures the sheer grandeur of Yosemite in this sweeping 1889 landscape, a prime example of American Romanticism. Towering granite cliffs—likely the massive face of El Capitan on the left and the rugged drop of Bridalveil Fall on the right—dwarf the tiny group of Native Americans camping peacefully by the river in the foreground. Hill was practically obsessed with this valley, painting it dozens of times to show off the 'sublime' beauty of the American West to the rest of the world. The misty atmosphere and dramatic lighting make the mountains feel almost spiritual, reminding viewers just how small we are compared to nature.