Westward, Ho!
On January 24, 1848, gold was unexpectedly discovered in California, setting off the gold rush of 1849.
Westward, Ho! On January 24, 1848, gold was unexpectedly discovered in California, setting off the gold rush of 1849.
Charles Christian Nahl joined the thousands of prospectors seeking their fortune in California following the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill near Sacramento in 1848. This scene by Nahl and his partner, August Wenderoth, who painted the background, is the first visual record of a gold camp of that period. As former prospectors, Nahl and Wenderoth had personal knowledge of mining techniques. The miners seen here work a "placer" mine using a device known as a sluice or trough, which allowed running water to separate the heavier gold pieces from the sand and gravel. The cabin in the distance suggests that the miners live nearby and are able to guard their stake.
Source: Gwen Everett. Permanent Gallery Installation (exhibition text, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1999).
Pictured: Charles Christian Nahl (1818 –1878 ).August Wenderoth (1819–1884 ), Miners in the Sierras,1851–52, oil, 54 1/4 x 67 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Fred Heilbron Collection.