Thomas Moran was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England in 1837 and died
in Santa Barbara, California in 1926. He was the son of a hand loom
weaver and his uncles were Edward and Peter Moran. The Moran family
emigrated in 1844 to Philadelphia where in 1853 Thomas apprenticed to
become a wood engraver by sketching designs on the blocks. He began
to paint do his first etchings under the direction of Edward Moran in
1856. After exhibiting an oil in 1858, he went west in 1860 to Lake
Superior. In the 1860's the Moran family made several trips to Europe
and England where they were greatly influenced by Turner and Corot.
In 1871, he accompanied the geologist, Dr. F. V. Hayden on a surveying
expedition to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. After returning from
his trip, he moved his studio to Newark where he began huge Western
paintings. In 1872, he visited Yosemite and then in 1873 he painted
the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. The U. S. Congress bought the Grand
Canyon of the Colorado and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for $10,000.00
each in 1873. From 1881 to 1911, Thomas Moran traveled almost every
year. Moran's western paintings with the distinctive monogram that he
developed in 1873 along with the thumbprint affixed from 1911 allowed
his works to truly become in demand. Still debunking modern art on his
deathbed at the age of 90, Thomas Moran visionary paintings have remained
in demand today and in the future.
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