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Buffalo Bill Center of the West

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    • Current HoursDecember 1–February 29: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday–Sunday
    • Hours & RatesPlan your visit to the Center of the West.
    • Group SalesWe welcome commercial group and bus tours.
    • Facility RentalsThe Center is the perfect place for your next event.
    • Visiting YellowstoneYour best stop on the way to or from Yellowstone.
    • LodgingSelect from a variety of local accommodations.
    • ItinerariesDiscover some quick day trips in and around Cody.
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    • Conservation InternshipsTraining for conservators from all over the world.
    • Pre-K ProgramsSet up a guided tour for your preschool class.
    • Field TripsInvestigate outdoor adventures for adults and children.
    • Highlights MapsDiscover collection highlights in each of our museum.
    • Games and InteractivesLearn about the collection through online interactives.
    • Lectures & FilmsPlan for future talks and view past program videos.
    • Western EssaysDelve into historical information on western topics.
  • Shop
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    • Clothing and Accessories
    • Gifts
    • Native American Replicas
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    • Pottery
    • Prints
    • Media
    • Baskets
  • Research
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    • Digital CollectionsExplore our extensive photo and manuscript collections.
    • Archival Collection List and Finding GuidesBrowse inventories of archival collections.
    • The Papers of William F. CodyDiscover scholarship on the man and the myth.
    • Fellowship ProgramContribute to new scholarship using Center collections.
    • Buffalo BillUncover in-depth information about William F. Cody.
    • Greater Yellowstone Natural HistoryLearn more about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
    • Western ArtDelve into the lives and works of western artists.
    • Plains IndianDiscover more about Plains Indian tribes and collections.
    • FirearmsFind a firearms bibliography, glossary, and more.
    • ConservationFind out how we preserve Center collections.
    • Rights and ReproductionsLicense or reproduce images from our collections.
  • Support
    • Planned GivingLeave your legacy with a bequest or estate gift.
    • Patrons BallAttend our annual gala fundraiser.
    • MembershipBecome a supporter and receive great benefits.
    • VolunteerSupport the Center with your time and talent.
    • Our next raffle car: a 1967 Pontiac GTOBuy your tickets online for this amazing prize!
    • Give TodayMake a donation to programs and operations.
    • Why I SupportSee what motivates donors to give to the Center.
    • We have a winner for the car raffle for 2019Winner: from Lusk, Wyoming, with ticket #0553
    • Raptor ExperienceHelp provide care for our avian friends.
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Home > Treasures from Our West > Treasures from Our West: Thomas Moran’s “Zoroaster Peak”

Treasures from Our West: Thomas Moran’s “Zoroaster Peak”

September 20, 2019 by Nancy McClure

Thomas Moran’s Zoroaster Peak. 11.96

Originally featured in Points West magazine in Fall/Winter 2018

Thomas Moran’s “Zoroaster Peak”

The trajectory of Thomas Moran’s career would change dramatically in 1871. That year, the painter traveled to Wyoming Territory on a government-sponsored survey expedition led by Ferdinand V. Hayden. Moran was invited to visually record the geological wonders of the region. He thus became the first professional artist to depict the area’s breathtaking sites, and his jewel-toned paintings helped inspire Congress to preserve Yellowstone as the world’s first national park.

Moran was so moved by his experience that he adopted “Yellowstone” into his signature. He began signing paintings “TYM” for Thomas “Yellowstone” Moran, laying claim to the region as his artistic domain. For further verification, Moran sometimes added his own thumbprint in paint. In Zoroaster Peak, the artist incorporates the “TYM” monogram and a slender thumbprint at lower right.

Moran’s early expedition to Yellowstone inspired subsequent trips to the American West, including a visit to the Grand Canyon with John Wesley Powell. Moran once remarked that the Grand Canyon “was by far the most awfully grand and impressive scene that I have ever yet seen.” Paintings like Zoroaster Peak evidence Moran’s lifelong affection for the dramatic gorge; at age eighty-one, he crafted this small yet stunning canvas nearly forty-five years after his first visit!

Zoroaster Peak is now known as Zoroaster Temple. From Moran’s vantage point, its pyramidal summit rises higher than its surroundings, and the Colorado River in the foreground reflects the canyon walls’ kaleidoscopic
colors.


Thomas Moran (1837–1926). Zoroaster Peak (Grand Canyon, Arizona), 1918. Oil on canvas, 9 x 12 inches. Purchased by the Board of Trustees in honor of Peter H. Hassrick. 11.96

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Filed Under: Treasures from Our West
Tagged With: Thomas Moran, treasures from our west, whitney western art museum, zoroaster peak

 

About Nancy McClure

Nancy works in the Center of the West's Public Relations Department in electronic communications. Her work includes writing and updating website content, publicizing events, updating electronic signage, working with images, and producing the e-newsletter Western Wire. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys photography, reading, and playing the flute.

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