They say you are either an ocean person, or a mountain person… but we think pretty much everyone is a mountain art person! Mountain art is big… it’s majestic… and looking at it inspires you to get outside and embark upon a new adventure. In this post we’ll highlight some of our favorite mountain photographs, and give you some insight into the mountains they feature.
Mountain Art from Wenkchemna Peaks, Alberta, Canada
You can find Wenkchemna Peaks nestled right on the border between Alberta and British Columbia. For all of us unlucky, non-Canadians, that’s right between the province all the way to the west, and the one next to it. If you’re wondering who came up with the genius, rolls-off-your-tongue name Wenkchemna, that was none other than Samuel E. S. Allen back in 1894. The highest-reaching peak tops out at 10,518 feet, but you wouldn’t want to hang out up there for long. Temperatures can drop to a blustery -4 degrees F, and that’s without any wind!
Wenkchemna Peak isn’t famous for much more than being gorgeous and Canadian (something it has in common with Ryan Gosling), but the man who named it was a legitimately smart guy. Samuel E. S. Allen was a Philadelphia native who was accepted into Yale as a 16-year-old… no wonder they let him name a few mountain peaks!
The Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville NC
Mountain art featuring the Blue Ridge Mountains of the United States’ east coast projects a very different vibe. Though the Blue Ridge’s don’t exactly have that “wow factor,” the misty rolling hills don’t quit. The intriguing and calming blue color in the ridge come from the copious trees covering the mountainside. The trees release isoprene (an organic compound) into the atmosphere, and give these mountains a characteristic and distinctive blue haze.
The German explorer John Lederer is the first recorded person to reach the crest of the mountains in 1669, and he gave them the fitting name “Blue Ridge.” But the name originally came from the Virginia Siouan Native American people group, who called the mountains “Ahkonchuck” (which we think sounds way cooler.) The Blue Ridge Mountains were a key fixture in the American Civil War, screening Robert E. Lee and his troops in the Gettysburg Campaign of 1863.
And if that weren’t impressive enough, these mountains house black bears, bobcats, coyotes, wild boars, and even elk!
Mountain Art from Grand Teton National Park
Across the country to the west, Wyoming is home to Grand Teton National Park. The Teton mountain range, in contrast to the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the sort of range that leaves you speechless. The 40-mile mountain range has served as the subject of many works of mountain art, including Ansel Adams’ world-renown photograph of Snake River. The combination of dark, jagged peaks and bright white snowy tips creates a stunning image.
Since we’ve been talking about where all of these names have come from, we definitely can’t leave the Grand Tetons out. Ready for this? Early French explorers named the range Les Trois Tetons, which translates to “The Three Nipples.” You read that right. The French thought the mountain range reminded them of breasts. Oh French, we love you.
(Note: The more conservative Shoshone people called the range Teewinot, meaning “many pinnacles.” Accurate and politically correct, though perhaps not as fun as a dinner party conversation.)
When looking for something fresh and new to adorn your walls, look no further than mountain art. FramedArt.com has framed art featuring mountains from all around the world!
