VALLEY OF THE CATAWISSA IN AUTUMN PRINT

Thomas Moran painted this colorful panoramic view of trees and rolling hills after visiting the small town of Catawissa, Pennsylvania, on assignment to create illustrations for a Harper’s Monthly article about the Catawissa Railroad. Notably, in the painting, Moran rendered the valley devoid of human presence or the railroad, which should be visible in the hills. Despite the importance of the railroad as a vital element of northern Pennsylvania transportation, Moran’s artistic vision eliminated the modern technology.