Treasures from Our West: “Yellowstone Canyon” by Gunnar Widforss

Originally featured in Points West magazine in Fall 2012

Born in Sweden, artist Gunnar Widforss visited the United States in 1921 and never left, enthralled by the natural beauty of the West. His painting Yellowstone Canyon serves as a prime example of his artistic interests and style. Widforss worked almost exclusively in watercolor, and painted most of his works alla prima, or directly on the board without prior sketches or studies.

Enamored of the pure beauty of Yellowstone and other national parks in the West, the artist strove to depict the transient effects of light on the stunning geological features. One can imagine Widforss standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone as he added layer upon layer of watercolor washes to realistically render the burnished orange sun bouncing off the canyon walls. The fragility of his medium mirrors the ephemeral nature of his subject—not just the fleeting presence of light, but also the endangered nature of our national parks.

Gunnar Widforss (1879–1934). Yellowstone Canyon, 1924. Watercolor on paper, 19.75 x 17.25 inches. Gift of Mrs. Horace M. Albright. 25.61

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