James David Smillie, Yosemite, 1872, charcoal, white chalk and graphite on brown wove paper, 19 5/8 in. x 25 11/16 in. (49.85 cm x 65.2 cm), With the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, artists from the East traveled with increasing frequency into the American West to explore and picture the region. James David Smillie journeyed west in 1871 and made the Yosemite Valley in northern California one of his primary destinations. He later described his anticipation: 'If, the day before, we rode in the excitement of expectation, it was intensified now, every step brought us nearer to the place that hitherto had been to me like some crater in the moon or spot on the sun.' One of the founders of the American Water Color Society, Smillie made a number of drawings and paintings at Yosemite, several of which were reproduced the following year in 'Picturesque America,' a deluxe illustrated volume that celebrated national scenery. This large-format presentation drawing was likely created in the artist's New York studio the year after his return and shows Yosemite Valley from Inspiration Point, a popular viewing spot for artists and tourists alike.
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