The panorama was a widely popular form of artistic entertainment in Europe in the 18th century. These large paintings depicted landscapes, often filled with historical sites and important architectural landmarks such as castles and gardens. The panoramas were typically viewed in a rotunda, where the canvas landscape surrounded the viewer in a full 360 degree sweep. In other cases, the huge canvas was displayed on a stage, being unrolled from one side and rolled onto another, as if it were a moving picture.

By 1804 this mode of painting gained an American audience as well, often bringing European landmarks to American audiences who might never have the opportunity to see them in person. One example is John Vanderlyn's Panorama: Palace and Garden of Versailles produced in 1819. By mid-century the panorama was a popular form for depicting the grand landscapes of the American West. For example, John Banvard's Panorama of the Mississippi River was enthusiastically promoted as "The Largest Painting in the World" although he was not the only artist to make the river his subject. The unexplored landscapes of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers were natural subjects for an expansive canvas, and numerous artists documented the flora, fauna, and the changing currents in the panoramic mode.