Fort George Island, Florida

In 1877, Thomas Moran traveled with his wife to Fort George Island, Florida, and made small studies of the trees and beaches, images that were radically different from his sweeping vistas of Yellowstone. Within twenty years after this painting was created, the balmy coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida had become fashionable tourist destinations. The hazy blue sky, palm trees, and golden sand suggest a romantic desert island where people could escape their everyday lives.