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April 21, 2017


William Bradford (1823-1892),

Sierra Nevada, no date, oil on canvas, 47 3/4 x 32 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art.

Explorer, naturalist, and environmental advocate John Muir was born on this day in 1838. Muir was instrumental in persuading Congress to pass the bill that established the Yosemite area of California as a National Park. For his efforts, he is commonly referred to as the 'Father of the National Parks.' Muir spend much of his time advocating for the preservation of wilderness areas of the Western United States, most particularly the Sierra Nevada region, represented in today's Artwork of the Day by William Bradford.