Treasured Landscapes

Gunnar Widforss
1923

Trained as a muralist in his native Sweden, Widforss immigrated to the United States. In 1921, he arrived at Yosemite and there, he befriended Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service. Mather encouraged Widforss to focus his creative talents on America's great western landscapes. Widforss traveled to many national parks and became well-known for his paintings of Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. This painting exemplifies Widforss' talent in rendering rock formations and his ability to capture a sense of space.

Watercolor on paper. H 40.2, W 48.3 cm
Yosemite National Park, YOSE 90228