Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 63 works by William Henry Holmes in our catalogue
In short
A Mexican Laundry (1895) is the William Henry Holmes painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.. After it, the eye goes to Cliff Houses on the Rio Mancos, Colorado (1878) and The Normal Rock Creek (1910). Among the 63 works of William Henry Holmes in our catalog, these 63 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
A Mexican Laundry is a watercolor painting by William Henry Holmes. The artist captured this scene in 1895. It remains part of the collection at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in the United States.
The scene unfolds in the rugged terrain of Colorado, where the Rio Mancos carves its way through the landscape. Here, the work titled Cliff Houses on the Rio Mancos, Colorado captures a specific moment in the American West. The artist, William Henry Holmes, brings this vista to life through his unique perspective as both a scientist and a draftsman. He approaches the landscape with an eye that understands the geological…
The Normal Rock Creek is a watercolor by William Henry Holmes. This work, dated 1910, captures a specific stillness through the fluid medium of watercolor. The artist, William Henry Holmes, applied pigment to paper to fix a moment of quietude by the water.
The Almighty's Own, An Impression of the High Andes is a watercolor on paper executed by William Henry Holmes in 1910. The work reflects the artist's engagement with the landscapes of South America, specifically the Andes Mountains.
Munich Model1880 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
12
Pompeian Fountain and Horse Trough, 18801880 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
13
Capri1880 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
14
Yuccaland--Chihuahua, Mexico1889 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
15
Windmills1889 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
16
The Open Sea1904 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
17
On the Coast of CaliforniaSmithsonian American Art Museum
18
(Haymaking Scene)Smithsonian American Art Museum
19
Haines Point1908 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
20
Flowery Meadow1910 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
21
Unmodified Rock Creek, about 19101910 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
22
The Wanderlusters' Rest1915 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
23
Original sketch of The Wanderlusters' Rest1915 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
24
(Summer Scene)1920 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
25
Autumn Tangle1920 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
26
Field of Blossoms1927 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
27
Blossoms1927 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
28
The Enchanted Mesa1927 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
29
On the Sunset Hill, 19261926 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
30
Mountain Gorge, Colorado1923 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
31
A Cliff Dweller's Ceremony, Colorado1924 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
32
The Shaded Walk1927 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
33
The Maryland Fields1929 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
34
In the Plateau Country, with an Inhabited Pueblo1929 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
35
View on the Potomac1930 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
36
In the Plateau Country, Colorado1931 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
37
In the Cliff House Country1929 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
38
Michigan1932 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
39
Royal Oak1932 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
40
In Mexico1918 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
41
In JamaicaSmithsonian American Art Museum
42
Wyoming Foot Hills1921 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
43
On the California CoastSmithsonian American Art Museum
44
UntitledSmithsonian American Art Museum
45
Indian Village, Cozumel Island, YucatanSmithsonian American Art Museum
46
In HollandSmithsonian American Art Museum
47
Windmills
48
Venetian Freight BoatsSmithsonian American Art Museum
49
Playing with the ColoursSmithsonian American Art Museum
50
Field of Wheat ShockSmithsonian American Art Museum
51
Still Life Apples and BottleSmithsonian American Art Museum
52
Cherry BlossomsSmithsonian American Art Museum
53
My Old Mill, Holmescroft, near RockvilleSmithsonian American Art Museum
54
Field of Varicolored Grasses in Late Summer (In the Virginia Hills)Smithsonian American Art Museum
55
Field of Joe Pie Weeds (Pride of the Meadow)Smithsonian American Art Museum
56
A Gypsy CampSmithsonian American Art Museum
57
Autumn in the Meadow EdgeSmithsonian American Art Museum
58
The Placid PotomacSmithsonian American Art Museum
59
LandscapeSmithsonian American Art Museum
60
The Babbling BrookSmithsonian American Art Museum
61
Deserted Bed of a GlacierSmithsonian American Art Museum
62
Maryland Wheat FieldsSmithsonian American Art Museum
63
Over the Maryland FieldsSmithsonian American Art Museum
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by William Henry Holmes | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Smithsonian American Art Museum |
Washington, D.C. | 62 | A Mexican Laundry, Cliff Houses on the Rio Mancos, Colorado, The Normal Rock Creek |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The scene unfolds in the rugged terrain of Colorado, where the Rio Mancos carves its way through the landscape. Here, the work titled Cliff Houses on the Rio Mancos, Colorado captures a specific moment in the American West. The artist, William Henry Holmes, brings this vista to life through his unique perspective as both a scientist and a draftsman. He approaches the landscape with an eye that understands the geological…
A Mexican Laundry is a watercolor painting by William Henry Holmes. The artist captured this scene in 1895. It remains part of the collection at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in the United States.
The Normal Rock Creek is a watercolor by William Henry Holmes. This work, dated 1910, captures a specific stillness through the fluid medium of watercolor. The artist, William Henry Holmes, applied pigment to paper to fix a moment of quietude by the water.
A Mexican Laundry (1895), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.. Cliff Houses on the Rio Mancos, Colorado (1878) and The Normal Rock Creek (1910) come next.
49 years old: A Mexican Laundry dates from 1895, and William Henry Holmes was born in 1846.
A Mexican Laundry, Cliff Houses on the Rio Mancos, Colorado, The Normal Rock Creek, The Almighty's Own, An Impression of the High Andes, Chestnut Trees in Bloom, Cliff Houses of the Rio Mancos, Colorado, (painting), Folded Strata, a Great Geological Arch, Colorado, Ancient Stone Round Tower, Long's Peak, Colorado, 1874 and On the Steamer Bremen, off Nova Scotia, 1880. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 63 works by William Henry Holmes, dated from 1874 to 1932.
Mostly in Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C.). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1920s: 13 of the 63 works on this page were made then, (Summer Scene) among them.
On this page, the earliest is Folded Strata, a Great Geological Arch, Colorado (1874) and the latest Michigan (1932).
Landscape (4), River (3) and Rocks (3), across the 63 works on this page.
Watercolor, for 4 of the 63 works on this page.
Impressionism, judging by the originals on this page.
A Mexican Laundry, Cliff Houses on the Rio Mancos, Colorado and The Normal Rock Creek: the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. holds 62 of the works on this page.
