Thomas Moran's 1875 oil "Mountain of the Holy Cross" has returned to the Autry National Center in Los Angeles, after serving a tour of duty in two traveling exhibitions. This iconic image of the West, a place viewed in the 19th century as monumental and grand, befitting the expansionism ideals of Americans, was exhibted widely in Moran's lifetime and ended up in a Colorado collection.

Gene and Jackie Autry, art collectors who founded the Autry National Center, negotiated hard with another collector for the painting. They felt the image should be seen by millions in a public venue. Click through to read Jackie Autry's account of the acquisition...