Alan Petersen presents a talk on the inner-canyon works of Swedish-American artist Gunnar Widforss (1879–1934), known as The Painter of the National Parks. Widforss created some of his most celebrated works at the rim of the Grand Canyon between 1923 and 1934, but unlike many of his contemporaries, he also hiked deep into the canyon and spent weeks at Phantom Ranch painting lesser-known, dramatic landscapes. Created en plein air (in the open air) with remarkable skill, his inner-canyon paintings reflect both his adventurous spirit and deep love for the canyon and are among his finest works. Petersen is the Fine Arts Curator at MNA and the creator of the Gunnar Widforss Catalogue Raisonné, an online record of Widforss’ drawings and paintings. This lecture coincides with our Call of the Colorado Plateau exhibition one view January 25, 2026, through January 3, 2027. The talk is included with museum admission.
