Autumn on the Wissahickon

It is a landscape painting done in 1864. Thomas envisaged a Philadelphia neighbourhood in a bright and sunny season. The sun rays landing gently on the trees in the valley to give a perfect impression.

With the river flowing and the cattle drinking water, the ambience was calm and welcoming. Such presentation inspires humanity to love nature. Majority of Thomas’ paintings came with this warmth. The Summer Landscape with Cows (1856), Salvator Rosa Sketching the Banditi (1860), Cresheim Glen, Wissahickon Autumn (1864), Under the Trees (1865) and Autumn Landscape (1867) are some of the paintings with the same theme. His colour mix, originality and appreciation to nature was outstanding in all his artworks.

The Man Behind the Painting

Thomas Moran was a celebrated Romanticism painter in the late 19th and early 20th century. His works brought to life the world in its purest form through colours, nature and love. Unlike his peers in the industry, Thomas journey though art was not structured. Although the talent was in the family (his brother was a celebrated marine painter), he began his journey in wood engraving. He grew out of it to became one of the best landscape painters in American Art history.

His first work as an artist was drawing illustrations for Scattergood & Telfer. He grew to love Joseph William Turner work whose painting ideology moulded Thomas’ future career as an artist. Along the way, he met James Hamilton and Mary Nimmo who made him a better illustrator. Thomas work would later be compared to that of Albert Bierstadt, William Keith and Thomas Hill. Among the Romanticism, they formed the School of Rocky Mountain.

Thomas was a member of the Hudson River School, a group of painters who saw the world through the beauty of nature. The name Hudson River was coined from their depiction of the Hudson River Valley and its environs. He worked as an artist and an illustrator for a local magazine. His highest honour as an American came when his painting; The Three Tetons (1895) was part of the White House Art collection.

Art Collection

Most of his works are at the Gilcrease Museum in Oklahoma, Thomas Moran House in New York, Amon Carter Museum in Texas and Berkshire Museum in Massachusetts. He also inspired J. L. Ferris into landscape painting.