The Half Dome, Yosemite

Famous as a painter of sailing ships, marine landscapes, and Arctic scenes, Bradford traveled widely as an artist. Between 1877 and 1881, he visited Yosemite Valley at least six times to make studies for wintry views and the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountain area in California. This painting shows a view from the western edge of the valley toward the famous granite form, partially obscured by clouds. At the left is El Capitan, the largest monolith of granite in the world. In the right middle ground are Cathedral Rocks and a frozen Bridalveil fall.