The Story of the Golden Plains oil painting

In the spring of 1897, Captain Palmer’s explorations took him to the vast savannahs of East Africa, where he documented the remarkable landscape for the Royal Geographical Society. His journey across the continent brought him to an expansive grassland with a solitary mountain rising in the distance.

Palmer’s journal described his first impression upon reaching this particular location. “The Golden Plains stretch before us like an ocean of grass,” he wrote, “swaying gently in the breeze with such uniformity that one might mistake it for water from a distance.” From his vantage point on a small rise, Palmer meticulously sketched the panorama, noting how the morning light transformed the savannah grasses into a shimmering golden sea.

Wildlife of the Golden Plains

Despite his primary focus on geographical documentation, Palmer could not help but record the abundant wildlife inhabiting this ecosystem. His journal entries detail herds of antelope and zebra moving across the terrain, their paths creating temporary patterns in the tall grasses. “The creatures here have adapted perfectly to life on these Golden Plains,” he observed, “moving with remarkable efficiency through vegetation that reaches nearly to their shoulders.”

The Mountain Beyond

Palmer devoted particular attention to the solitary mountain that dominated the horizon. Using his surveying equipment, he calculated its approximate distance and elevation, noting how it appeared to change color throughout the day as shadows shifted across its face. “This sentinel peak serves as both landmark and destination for our expedition across the Golden Plains,” he concluded in his evening notes.

This striking landscape, captured through Palmer’s precise observations, inspired our painting “Golden Plains”—portraying the majesty of Africa’s savannahs through the eyes of a dedicated 19th-century explorer.