Thomas Moran was an American landscape painter and printmaker best known for his dramatic depictions of the American West. Associated with the Hudson River School and later the Rocky Mountain School, Moran played a huge role in shaping how people imagined the vast wilderness of the United States, especially places like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.

Born in England and raised in Philadelphia, Moran began his career as an illustrator and engraver. His artistic breakthrough came after joining a geological expedition to Yellowstone in 1871. The sketches and watercolors he created there were later turned into monumental paintings that amazed audiences back east. In fact, his artwork helped convince the U.S. Congress to establish Yellowstone as the first national park in 1872:  a rare case where art directly influenced environmental conservation.

A Showery Day, Grand Canyon by Thomas Moran