People inSection a Hard 1 Land IconicOn Images the of Life inMove the Southwest

Introduction

ver the last century, some powerful images have appeared in OSouthwestern art that have become truly iconic. Pioneers, cow- boys, and Indians moving across a vast, uninhabited landscape; men and women engaged in the hard labor of taming a wild land; Western faces—tough, weatherworn, stoic, self-reliant, patient, wise, open, and honest; people from different cultures living in harmony with nature and each other. Why have these Western themes remained among the most popular in all of American art, literature, and film? Perhaps it is their sense of optimism—the hope of settling in an un- spoiled land where hard work and determination can yield a life of independence and dignity. Perhaps it is the thread that ties us to our distinct American heritage. Perhaps it is the idealization of a bygone age, where the spirit that tamed the West remains one of the con- tinuing wellsprings of the American dream.

This exhibition explores these classic representations of life in the Southwest. It features works by some of the region’s premier artists from the collections of Diane and Sam Stewart and the University Museum of Art. The exhibition is divided into three main sections: On the Move, Hard at Work, and Western Faces. Interwoven among these is the overriding thesis of a diverse people sharing a homeland—a multi-cultural region where Native peoples, Anglos, and Hispanics have lived side by side for generations.

1 Section 1 On the Move — Communication On the Move

ome of the most familiar images of the Southwest depict people Straveling across unsettled desert plateaus and rugged moun- tains. Whether on horseback, in wagons, or on foot, these people often seem small in the expansive wide-open landscape. There is a Herbert W. (Buck) Dunton (1878–1936), Deliver- Mahonri Mackintosh Young (1877–1957), Pony Express Rider 1/6 (Posthumous), ca. sense of courage, determination, grit—and also freedom—in their ing the Mail, ca. 1912–15, oil on canvas. Diane and 1973, bronze. Museum of Art Sam Stewart Art Collection long and challenging journeys.

Art and Artists Herbert Dunton moved to Taos in 1912, abandon- horses and riders staged at relay stations scat- ing a successful career as an illustrator in New tered along the route from plains and prairies to York. He was especially cognizant of his artistic mountains and deserts. mission to capture the essence of the West before it faded into the modern world: “The West has Look More Closely passed—more’s the pity. In another twenty-fi ve years the old-time Westerner will have gone, too— While both works dramatize the strength required to with the buffalo and the antelope. I’m going to live in a wild and hostile environment, these two artis- hand down to posterity a bit of the unadulterated tic representations of mail delivery could not be more different—in both temperament and visual impact. real thing.” 1. Compare the mood generated by each of these • Almost 100 years later, do you think the “real works. How do the stances of both horse and rider thing” still exists in the American Southwest? convey this difference? What other visual ele- • Dunton says that the passing of the West is a ments transmit the spirit of these compositions? “pity.” How do you feel about the changes that 2. How many telling details can you identify that always seem to accompany progress and the pas- communicate the chill of the moonlit scene in sage of time? Is change necessarily a bad thing? Dunton’s painting? (such as the scarf blowing, the carrier’s heavy skirt, the horse’s mane fl uttering, the Historical Context condensation of their breath, the horse’s footprints The famed Pony Express has been celebrated glistening in the moonlight, and the tentative stance of throughout American literature and the silver the horse as its rider urges it forward) screen, despite the fact that it operated only eigh- 3. Notice that in Dunton’s work, the rider’s heavy teen months—from April 1860 to October 1861. skirt indicates a female, rather than a male sub- Before the telegraph, it was the fastest form of ject. Compare and contrast the challenges faced communication across the continent. Messages by men and women in this forbidding landscape. were carried by riders on horseback, with fresh

2 3 On the Move — Livelihood On the Move — Subsistence

Minerva Teichert (1888-1976), A Refreshing Respite from the Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), The Stream, 1916, oil on canvas. Wagon Train, 1955, oil on artist’s board. Stark Museum of Art, Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Gift of Vernon and Char- Orange, Texas leen Dickman

Frederic Remington (1861-1909), Mountain Man, 1903, bronze. Brigham Young University Museum of Art Art and Artists Teichert, who spent most of her life in , Idaho, stream to cool off and wash the dust of the trail and Wyoming, painted many scenes throughout from their faces. In The Stream, the over-hanging Art and Artists her career celebrating the lives of . branches of a tree give shelter as a horse drinks Although raised in the East, Remington’s love of depicts these men as loaners dressed in buckskin She used bold brushstrokes and bright colors, the clear water and an Indian woman waits to fill outdoor adventure contributed to his enthusiasm with a coonskin cap and bushy facial hair. Actu- dispensing with details that were not necessary for her canteen. for cowboys and soldiers. In his late teens and ally, many trappers travelled in companies for the telling her vivid stories. early twenties he saw and sketched the authen- sake of safety and companionship. tic West for himself, visiting Montana and New Dixon painted The Stream a year after seeing a Look More Closely Mexico, and began publishing his work. He honed major exhibition of French and American Impres- his artistic skills at the Art Students League of Look More Closely sionist paintings at the 1915 San Francisco World’s 1. Stylistically, what similarities do you see between these two works? New York and became a highly successful illustra- 1. Notice the manner of dress and the various provi- Fair. Deeply impressed, he immediately began tor, painter, and sculptor of the Old West and one sions the mountain man carries on his journey— painting with brighter, unblended brushstrokes 2. Minerva Teichert’s teacher, mentor, and re- of the most beloved American artists. the fringe of his clothing, his pelts, axe, traps, emphasizing the shimmering qualities of light, nowned American artist suggested rifle, etc. What does this tell you about the nature shadows, and reflections, as seen in this work. that her mission should be to tell the Mormon Historical Context of his daily life in the wilds of the untamed West? story in paint. How is this mural a convincing It’s estimated that over 3,000 mountain men Might you have enjoyed such a life? Historical Context representation of the Mormon pioneer trek west to the Salt Lake Valley? roamed the rugged wilderness of the West during • How does the artist portray the danger of this It is estimated that more than 60,000 Mormon the mid-nineteenth century in search of adven- mountain man’s descent? Notice that he’s pioneers made the trek West from Nauvoo, Illinois 3. Discuss the compositional arrangement of Tei- ture and a livelihood of fur trading. These trap- leaning back at an extreme angle with the starting in 1846. Among the many privations suf- chert’s work—the border, background, middle pers were also instrumental in guiding pioneers to horse almost vertical, holding on tightly both fered by these courageous people—disease, starva- ground, and foreground each depicting a different aspect of the pioneers’ journey. For example, the new territories and teaching them to survive the in front and back, cinching his knees into the tion, severe weather, hostile tribes—one the most dangers en route. Knowing Indian traditions and horse’s sides, his feet pushing hard on the narrative in the border shows how they obtained serious was a lack of clean, drinkable water. For their food; the back and middle ground depict the language, mountain men also occasionally served stirrups. many pioneers crossing the plains and deserts, wa- harshness of the journey; while the foreground • Ho w do the strong diagonal lines of the com- as interpreters for securing treaties. The life of ter was more precious than gold. Cast in this light, reveals a softer side of the journey with families position add to the drama of the scene? a mountain man was dangerous, with constant both of these paintings become more poignant. celebrating the life giving, refreshing water. No- threats from hostile tribes, wild animals, and ill- 2. K eep in mind that most are meant to tice also that the background shows the direction ness. Those that could weather the harsh lifestyle be examined from all angles so that the viewer In A Refreshing Respite from the Wagon Train, wag- of their journey—the wagons facing West with learned remarkable survival skills and developed gains new insights with each new perspective. ons move slowly, boys on horseback guide a herd the movement flowing right to left. keen senses. The romanticized, Hollywood version of cattle, and women and children pause at a

4 5 On the Move — Desperation On the Move—Looking for Solace

Maynard Dixon (1875–1946), No Place to Go, 1935, oil on canvas. Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Roadside, 1938, oil on canvas. Brigham Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Gift of Herald R. Clark Young University Museum of Art

Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Lonesome Journey, 1946, oil on canvas. Brigham Young Uni- versity Museum of Art. Gift of Dickman Investment

Art and Artists Maynard Dixon’s lifelong passion for roaming the or seek it among the fragrant sage, Art and Artists West had a tremendous impact on the evolution or question the mountain juniper, In the mid nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the American West seemed to offer almost unlim- of his distinctive style. Western themes became and, by their silence, ited potential for adventure and prosperity. The Great Look More Closely his trademark—he actually dressed like a cow- they will truly inform you. Depression, however, cast a dark shadow over such 1. A homeless man making his way across the boy, often wearing a bolo tie, black Stetson, and opportunities. In 1932, as Maynard Dixon and his desert prepares to bed down for the night at the cowboy boots. In order to capture the size and photographer wife, Dorothea Lange, drove from Taos to side of a road, his meager possessions rolled in a grandeur of the Western landscape, he often met their home in San Francisco, they were struck by the the challenge by crowding the canvas and crop- bundle beside a small fire. What aspects of these Look More Closely numbers of destitute, homeless people walking along works convey a sense of loneliness, desperation, ping the view. As in Lonesome Journey, the tops of the roadsides looking for work. This experience helped and hopelessness? the mammoth rock formations are cut off, and the 1. In art, an “open composition” implies that there them realize that they had a vital role to play in visu- 2. What is the symbolism of the bleak, sterile sheer red face of the cliffs fill most of the back- is more to see beyond the confines of the frame. ally communicating the human tragedy of the Great How is this compositional device employed in landscapes in these two paintings? (Perhaps, for ground leaving only a small patch of sky. Depression. Both Dixon and Lange used their art to to convey the vastness and sheer example, it may signify the barren, seemingly endless Lonesome Journey document and protest this dismal economic crisis and magnitude of the landscape? the devastating impact it had on individual citizens. quest of these homeless men—their empty wallets and Making Connections fruitless lives.) What might the fence in No Place to This is probably Dixon’s last painting, completed 2. Although fascinated by the brilliant light of the Historical Context Go represent? Considering the title of the work, in the year of his death. Discuss the meaning and Western landscape, notice how Dixon treats the By 1932, unemployment in the U.S. was up to 25%, af- what is the significance of the Pacific Ocean in relevance of the following poem by Dixon, how corresponding shadows with as much sensitivity fecting more than 13 million Americans. There were the distance? and awe. Discuss how the “silence” of the desert, it applies to this painting, and how it conveys some 25,000 families and 200,000 youth wandering 3. Why do you think the artist decided to cast the as shown in its shadows, can be as powerful as throughout the country seeking food, clothing, shelter, Dixon’s love and reverence for the desert: men’s faces in shadow to hide their distinctive the sun-drenched landscape. and jobs. In 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt created the “New features? (Could this be the artist’s way of indicat- 3. How might the idea of a singular traveler driving Deal,” a series of reforms to promote relief and recovery At Last ing that these figures represent the plight of every bravely and alone into the shadows be autobio- to the sagging economy of the . Many suf- American during the Depression, not just a specific At last, graphical? Might the time of day depicted here, fering artists who were hard hit during the Depression individual?) where long shadows are cast about, also be sym- were also aided by the establishment of the Federal Art I shall give myself to the desert again, bolic in Dixon’s last painting? Project. The FAP provided for the creation of more than 4. Notice the bold, blocky earthiness and simplified that I, in its golden dust, 200,000 separate works for state and county govern- figures that characterize this style of painting. may be blown from a barren peak 4. Despite the loneliness of a solitary journey ment buildings such as courthouses, post offices, and Many American artists during the Depression Era broadcast over the sun lands. through this barren landscape, discuss the pos- libraries. Some of the posters, murals, and paintings largely turned away from European modernism sible “healing” nature of the desert and how one created under the FAP are considered to be among the and academic art, and embraced . If you should desire some news of me, go ask the might find solace there. most significant pieces of public art in the U.S. today. little horned toad whose home is the dust,

6 7 On the Move—As Indigenous People On the Move—Manifest Destiny

Frank Tenney Johnson Carl Oscar Borg (1879–1947), (1874–1939), Fred Tunnel Navajo Land, 1932, oil on canvas. and Horse in Tetons, Brigham Young University 1931, oil on canvas. Museum of Art Diane and Sam Stewart Art Collection

Art and Artists Born to a poor family in , Borg left home at • Think about the extent to which the culture and Art and Artists fourteen and over the following decade traveled language of these peoples is still preserved to Johnson began drawing and painting Western sub- and worked in England, , Canada, and the the present day. jects while growing up in Iowa and Wisconsin. He United States, sketching everywhere he went. At developed a strong desire to paint scenes of the twenty-four, Borg settled in Los Angeles where he vanishing frontier, visiting the Southwest many found fellow artists and patrons who encouraged Look More Closely times. He learned the technique of using heavy and nurtured his talent. In his late thirties, Borg 1. Stylistically, how is this composition similar to impasto (thick textured paint) during his brief Look More Closely became intensely interested in the Navajo and Dixon’s Lonesome Journey: studies at the New York Art Student’s League. Fred 1. This painting is probably a commissioned work, Hopi people, visiting their reservations every year Tunnel, a prominent government official from • With respect to the composition of the painting? both man and horse posing for an unseen audi- and painting scenes from their lives. In 1923, the South Dakota, poses here for a portrait in a pictur- ence. What do Tunnel’s stance and clothing Christian Science Monitor extolled him as “one of the • The use of light and shadow? esque setting. Dressed in Western attire, including indicate about the personality and character of most sympathetic and truthful exponents of the • The focal point of the work? fancy cowboy boots and beaded wrist bands, he this man? Land of the Hopi and Navajo.” 2. What is it about towering canyons and rugged stands next to a beautiful horse with mountain 2. Despite the grandeur of the majestic Tetons in cliffs that we find so appealing? Which is a more peaks as a backdrop. the background, what is it about this painting Historical Context thrilling experience, standing at the bottom or that clearly indicates that man has boldly gained Throughout the centuries, there have been nu- the top of a canyon? Why? Historical Context a certain degree of ascendancy over nature? merous Native American tribes making their 3. Discuss the way in which Borg’s bold brush- Manifest destiny was a nineteenth-century belief 3. How is the conquering spirit of Manifest Destiny homes in the Southwest—the Apache, Comanche, strokes evoke the rough textures of the sagebrush held by Americans that the United States should exhibited by Fred Tunnel in this painting? Pueblo, Navajo, Ute, Hopi, and Zuni. Many Native expand across the entire North American Conti- and the strata of the sandstone. 4. Johnson’s placement of low-lying clouds indicates Americans of the twenty-first century continually nent from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This mandate 4. Define and discuss the ariousv geological forma- that his subject is posing in the high elevations strive to maintain and honor the heritage and rich tions found in the American Southwest— includ- was, in part, politically motivated in an attempt to of the Tetons. How is this symbolic of Fred Tun- traditions of their ancestors. This quest is chal- ing volcanoes, buttes, plateaus, arroyos, mesas, extend democracy throughout the land. Americans nel’s pride in being part of the great movement to lenging, as their histories are varied and complex, and ancient sea beds—sculpted by millions of also felt they had a mission to “tame” the frontier, tame the frontier? Throughout literature, particu- and many stories and sacred customs have been years of changes in the earth’s crust, movement and that it was their destiny to inherit the West. larly religious writings, how are high places syn- passed down through the oral traditions of these of tectonic plates, and Ice Age erosion. This painting epitomizes the pride felt by many onymous with greater power and enlightenment? largely hunter-gatherer peoples. settlers as they cultivated this wilderness.

8 9 Section ii Hard at Work — Among Mormon Pioneers Hard at Work

Mahonri Mackintosh Young (1877-1957), Plowing the Valley of the Salt Lake, ca.1930, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Purchase/gift of Mahonri M. Young Estate

outhwestern art has provided abundant images of people hard Sat work, struggling to create secure and comfortable lives for themselves in an inhospitable land. Many of these paintings cel- Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), The Hand of God, 1940, oil on masonite. Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Gift of ebrate the farmers, cowboys, sheepherders, builders, and homemak- Edith Hamlin Dixon ers who brought their strength, skill, and endurance to the arduous Art and Artists tasks of frontier life. Although lived in New York and listening to their leader Brigham Young. The Latter- for much of his life, this youngest day Saint prophet holds the scriptures in his right grandson of Brigham Young was born and raised hand and a plow in his left. The people are pre- in . Known as Utah’s most prominent pared to work, holding the tools that, “by the sweat artist during his life, he was recognized for his of their brow,” will help them build a new life in paintings, etchings, and especially his sculptures. this rugged land. The approval of God, represented Many of Young’s works celebrate his Western by an elongated hand in the stylized clouds, sanc- roots, depicting the rugged territory and the ambi- tions their efforts to tame the wilderness. tious workers who chose to settle this land. Ma- honri Young’s own personal art collection came to Brigham Young University in 1959 and represents the bulk of the Museum of Art’s collection. Look More Closely Maynard Dixon once asked his friend Herald R. 1. Describe the composition of both paintings. Is Clark, a BYU professor, why the Mormons left there a sense of monumentality? How so? (The the fertile land in the East to settle the deserts strong horizontal orientation harkens back to the of Utah. After learning that the Latter-day Saints friezes of the classical age, and the size of the paint- believed they were directed by God to make the ings adds to the dignity of the physical labor of these arduous journey, Dixon created this mural study noble pioneers.) showing the pioneers under the protection of 2. How does Young convey the excitement of a divine providence. new Spring plowing and planting? (Notice the birds swooping about, snatching at fresh worms and Historical Context squawking in their excitement.) How might the time Considering the 1930 date of Mahonri Young’s of year be a symbolic reference to the future of mural—the very onset of the Great Depression— the Mormon pioneers in Utah? the painting conveys a sense of pride in hard work 3. Notice the irrigation ditch at the feet of Brigham and a hope for the future. The split rail fence in Young as it fl ows amid the sagebrush and red the background suggests the accomplishments of sandy soil. How was water a life force for the pio- pioneers as they stake their claims and build upon neers? Considering the title of Dixon’s painting, the land. Notice also the presence of seagulls, how might its presence symbolically endorse the which points to a miracle that transpired in the labor of this people? early chapters of Mormon pioneer history. 4. Dixon’s work is actually a study for a mural. Sty- listically, how is the preliminary, incomplete nature In The Hand of God, a group of Mormon pioneers— of this painting evident? men, women, and children—stand against the sky

10 11 Hard at Work — Among Native Americans Hard at Work — With Pioneer Women

Mahonri Mackintosh Young Mahonri Mackintosh Young (1877-1957), Navajo on Horseback, Mahonri Mackintosh Young (1877-1957), (1877–1957), Navajo Woman ca. 1927, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum Rainbow: Goats in Navajo Land, ca. 1930, and Herd, ca. 1924–30), oil on of Art. Purchase/gift of Mahonri M. Young Estate oil on canvas. Brigham Young Univer- artist board. Brigham Young sity Museum of Art. Purchase/gift of University Museum of Art. Mahonri M. Young Estate Purchase/gift of Mahonri M. Young Estate

Minerva Teichert (1888-1976), Washday on the Plains, 1938, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Gift of the Teichert Family Collection

Art and Artists Raised on a ranch in Idaho, Minerva Teichert • What do you think the greatest challenges pursued an artistic career as a student in Chi- would have been for these pioneers in their at- cago and where she rose to the tempts to create a new home in the West? What top of her classes. Her teacher and mentor at were, perhaps, the greatest rewards? the Art Student’s League, acclaimed portraitist Robert Henri, challenged her to use her training Art and Artists to tell the stories of the Mormon people in her Young was well acquainted with Southwestern lives of American Indians. In which category do paintings. She endeavored to fulfill this mandate subjects. In 1912 and 1916, he traveled through you think Young’s images fit? throughout her long and prolific professional life, Look More Closely the region sketching ideas for sculptures and painting scenes of the Rocky Mountain West and paintings on the Navajo, Hopi, and Apache tribes, Look More Closely her Mormon heritage in the living room of her 1. Unlike the more panoramic landscape scenes, slated to be exhibited at the American Museum Wyoming ranch home. this composition employs a shallow pictorial of Natural History in New York City. As previously 1. Why do you think, in all three instances, Young space with sheets stretched out along the row of seen in Plowing the Valley of the Salt Lake, through- chose to depict these figures in shadow or with Historical Context covered wagons as a backdrop. Furthermore, the their faces turned away? open composition seems to invite the viewer to out his career Young painted many scenes of Indi- A spirit of friendly cooperation fills this bustling join the domestic scene. ans and other Western laborers performing their 2. How does Young employ color to enliven all three portrayal of women pioneers doing their laun- daily tasks with dignity. of these paintings? Do the hyper-saturated colors dry. At the same time, the strong, energetic fe- 2. This large mural, with figures spread across the seem true-to-life? Would the high desert sun male forms represent a new subject—the vital stage-like setting, reveals a number of details serve to heighten the hues of nature or bleach about life on the pioneer trail. Notice especially Historical Context role of women in the settling of the West. In this Whether herding sheep and goats or hunting them of their intensity? the heated kettles of water over open fires and large painting, pioneer women’s contribution of the washboards on which the soiled clothing is wild game, these Native Americans seem to be in 3. Discuss the challenge of artists as they at- clean clothes to the colonizing of the West seems tempted to represent human figures in the vast scrubbed. What additional details are evident? harmony with their environment, finding peace in almost heroic. However, the cheerful scene and Western landscape. Should people be small 3. At first glance, Teichert’s works may appear to be nature by quietly reverencing it. These figures are somewhat idealized setting belies the difficult dressed humbly, devoid of accessories, and oblivi- and insignificant, with nature dominating the provincial, folksy, even unrefined. But upon closer scene? Or should they be shown as bold and lives of these courageous travelers. examination, Teichert displays a very learned ous to us as an audience. Twentieth-century art- defiant—conquering nature’s staggering opposi- style and keen ability to tell the story of her times ists have attempted to capture this quickly fading tion? Should their demeanor evoke the freedom • How might the West have appeared to these and heritage. The flattened forms and bare patch- way of life and have found numerous ways to de- and liberation of wide-open spaces, or should it pioneers coming from the eastern United States es of canvas signal a stylistic innovation toward pict Native Americans in the Western landscape. reflect the isolation and loneliness of the expan- and the Midwest, especially considering the simplification, and the cheerful blues, whites, and Some artists avoided romanticized portrayals in sive wilderness? How does Young characterize his differences in terrain, climate, and geographic oranges of the figures’ patterned dresses add to favor of revealing the harsh realities of desert life. Native American figures? distances? Why might Eastern city dwellers have the energy and animism of the narrative. Others preferred to paint idealized versions of the been especially unprepared for this “new world”?

12 13 Hard at Work — On the Farm Hard at Work — On the Ranch

Edwin Evans (1860 –1946), The Calf, 1899, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Gift of Mrs. Maria Winder Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Beef Herd, Sandhill Camp, 1921, Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Night Ride, Sandhill Camp, 1921, oil on oil on canvasboard. Brigham Young University Museum of canvasboard. Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Gift of Herald Art. Gift of Herald R. Clark R. Clark John B. Fairbanks (1855–1940), Harvesting in Utah Valley, 1925, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art

Art and Artists Dixon spent much of his childhood around cattle Look More Closely and cowboys in California’s central San Joaquin It’s amazing how Dixon is able to tell such a vivid story Mahonri Mackintosh Young (1877–1957), Hay- Valley, southeast of San Francisco. After a few using such spare colors and such few brushstrokes. Art and Artists stack, undated, oil on board. Brigham Young years of making illustrations for fictional sto- —Paul Anderson, Curator University Museum of Art. Purchase/gift of ries, he resolved to devote himself to the less J. B. Fairbanks was one of the many “art missionar- Mahonri M. Young Estate 1. In Beefherd, Dixon paints an endless herd of cattle ies” sponsored by the LDS Church to receive art melodramatic “honest art of the West.” After his that stretches back toward the horizon with training in in preparation for painting the first mural commission in 1921, exhausted and nothing to break the expanse of arid plains and Salt Lake Temple murals. The bright colors and Look More Closely ill with asthma, Dixon retreated to his boyhood blank sky except the bodies of the cowboys on home in the San Joaquin Valley to rest. He spent horseback. He has painted the scene with rough thickly painted highlights on this painting clearly 1. Stylistically, what do all three works share in some of his time there at a nearby ranch called impressionistic brushstrokes and a limited pal- reflect the influence of French Impressionism. Ed- common? Keep in mind that all three artists were ette of browns and grays. What effect does this win Evans, a native of Lehi, Utah, was also spon- formally trained in Paris. Sandhill Camp, where he found inspiration for monochromatic portrayal, with its long shadows, sored by the LDS Church for training in Paris at numerous paintings and drawings, including 2. In Fairbanks’ work, note the strong lines that these two works. have on our sense of the passage of time and the the Academie Julian where Mahonri Young studied lead the eye toward the undulating ridges of rigors of ranch life? as well. His experience painting with other artists Mount Timpanogos in Utah Valley. This type of Historical Context 2. In Night Ride, a cowboy takes an evening ride on in the French countryside helped him develop a perspective is known as linear or one-point perspec- a ranch in central California. The muted blues, rich and luminous outdoor style, similar to Fair- tive. Brought to its zenith in the Renaissance, this One of the most compelling themes of the South- browns, and grays used to paint the figures, mathematical system allows for the representa- west is the life of the cowboy, riding on the open banks’ style in many respects. vegetation, and land lend a rich, shimmering tion of three-dimensional objects on a two-di- range, pitted against the wind, dust, and harsh- ambiance to the scene. Dixon has confronted a mensional surface by means of intersecting lines ness of an unforgiving landscape. The cowboy has Historical Context dual challenge for any artist—first, the difficulties that radiate from a single point (vanishing point) been immortalized in every artistic genre—litera- Many artists and writers have romanticized the of capturing a scene at night; second, convinc- on the horizon. One-point perspective provides untamed West as a new Eden—a pristine frontier ture, film, the visual arts, music, and television. ingly painting high-desert snow in the moonlight. the viewer with the perception of space—fore- Can you think of some examples? Which of these How has he employed the visual elements to where nature was untouched by civilization, and ground, middle ground, and background—on a art forms do you think has the greatest potential persuasively and artistically render this noctur- humanity lived in harmony with its surroundings. flat picture plane. All three of these paintings depict the rigors of for accurately portraying the life of a cowboy? nal scene? 3. Many artists from the East, trained to paint farming in an idyllic setting with sheaves of grain 3. How does Dixon convey the sense that the night in gentler climates with softer sunshine, were rider and his horse are advancing at a leisurely glistening in the brilliant sunshine, workers standing stunned by the brilliant contrasts of light and pace with no sense of urgency? Why do you think on a sea of gold, and well-dressed children playing shade in the Western U.S. How did these three Dixon chose to have the horse and rider domi- with their calf in a peaceful, bucolic setting. In these artists resolve the technical challenge of bathing nate the scene rather than blend seamlessly into works, the artists omit rusty farm implements, di- their farming scenes in the dazzling light of the the landscape as with Beef Herd? lapidated buildings, and unkempt grounds. Instead, high desert? the West becomes part of Edenic America.

14 15 Hard at Work — Building a Nation Hard at Work — With Leisure As Well

Ella Peacock (1905-1999), The Building of Calieo, 1936, oil on canvas. Ella Peacock (1905-1999), Building the Road through Thistle, ca. Mahonri M. Young (1877-1957), Corral Bucking Bronco, ca. 1935, Ernest L. Blumenshein (1874-1960), Fishing Eagle’s Nest Lake, undat- Diane and Sam Stewart Art Collection 1984, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, ed, oil on canvas on board. Diane and Sam Stewart Art Collection Purchase/gift of Mahonri M. Young Estate

Art and Artists Art and Artists In addition to Young’s proclivity for rendering the Henry Sharp, W. Herbert Dunton, E. Irving Couse, Ella Peacock studied at the Maryland Institute of settled by Europeans in 1848 as part of the Mormon hard work of pioneers who cultivated the West- and Oscar E. Berninghaus. These six artists were Art and the School of Design in Philadelphia and migration to Utah from Nauvoo, Illinois. Its pri- ern landscape, he also gives us a glimpse of their the charter members of the Taos Society of Artists. thereafter settled in Spring City, Utah. Anecdot- mary industry was linked to the servicing of trains leisure time—the occasional reprieve from the ar- ally, she’s a modest, shy person who is particularly for a major Western railroad company. duous tasks of frontier life. Here, excitement fills fond of sagebrush, some of which she planted in the arena as a daring cowboy clings to his bucking her front yard. Most of her works are plein-air— bronco in mid leap, while a row of cowboys in col- Look More Closely paintings executed outdoors rather than in the ored shirts and chaps await their turns to ride. 1. In Corral Bucking Bronco, Young brings us close to studio using sketches or photographs. Her style of the rodeo action. We are included in the semi- painting is known as the “dirty thirties,” a washed- Look More Closely After studying at New York’s Art Students’ League circle that frames horse and rider, sweeping along out, matte style of the Depression era using neu- 1. Ella’s palette of grayed-out pigments mixed with and Paris’s Academie Julian, Blumenshein began the railing, through the standing cowboys to the tral hues shrouded in an overall tonal palette. turpentine accurately captures the sun-bleached a promising career as a commercial illustrator white-washed fence on the far side. How does character of the region. However, she occasion- in New York City before he visited the Southwest such an activity celebrate the strength, skill, and Ella adopted a simple, prosaic way of depicting the ally enlivens her works with splashes of more in 1898. Seeing Taos for the first time was a life- endurance that is also necessary in their daily essence of life among rural Utah communities. concentrated color. Observe, particularly in the changing experience. “No artist had ever recorded lives? Notice the similarities between the cow- Although most of her works are devoid of figures, rocks of the Thistle painting, how she juxtaposes, the I was now seeing,” he later report- boy’s domination over the spirited bronco and rather than blends, a variety of hues in a small power necessary to tame a formidable land. her landscapes provide a sense of the people who ed. “Everywhere I looked I saw paintings perfectly area on the canvas. lived in the region. Rarely satisfied with her own organized, ready to paint.” He spent several more 2. In Fishing Eagle’s Nest Lake, five people are gath- work, she would often revisit paintings and rework 2. In the Calieo painting, four workmen labor to summers painting in Taos before moving there ered for some relaxation and camaraderie on portions of them. The BYU Museum of Art has 74 construct a log cabin under the grey-green with his wife and daughter in 1919. He was an the shore of Eagle’s Nest Lake, a reservoir thirty canopy of spreading trees. One man strains to miles northeast of Taos. The two standing men of her paintings in its permanent collection. enthusiastic outdoorsman and an avid fisherman. lift a heavy log while another hacks at a sturdy seem engrossed in their fishing, while three other tree as his friend rests leaning on his axe. Farther people in white shirts and straw hats seem to be Historical Context back in the scene, a fourth man toils on the roof Historical Context enjoying the restful scenery. The wooded moun- Calieo (Callao) is a small farming community in of the cabin. How does Ella give labor—which Located in a tributary valley off the Rio Grande, tains, grassy banks, and lake are all rendered northern Snake Valley, Utah. Part of the original ultimately built a nation—a sense of quiet dignity Taos Pueblo is the most northern of the New in impressionist style with a variety of vigorous Pony Express overland route, it was first settled and honor? Mexico pueblos. For nearly a millennium, the brushstrokes. in 1870. Thistle is now a ghost town in Utah 3. Throughout the twentieth century, artistic styles Taos Indians have lived in this territory. The Taos 3. What other types of leisure activities might the County. Due to a massive landslide in 1983 from evolved toward ever greater degrees of simplifi- Art Colony began in 1898 with the visit of Bert G. Western settlers have enjoyed over a century excessive rainfall, it was almost completely cation and abstraction—a technique well-suited Phillips and Blumenschein to Taos, New Mexico. ago? How much leisure time do you think they destroyed—one of the most costly landslides in for representing the Western landscape. How is They were actually on their way to Mexico when actually experienced in the course of their de- U.S. history. Thistle was originally used as a trade Peacock’s style a manifestation of this trajectory? their wagon wheel broke in the Taos area. They manding lives? route by Native American tribes, and first became ultimately settled there and were joined by Joseph

16 17 Section 111 Western Faces — Of Age and Wisdom Western Faces

Portraits and character studies of the people of the Southwest have long been an important part of the artistic tradition of the region. Maynard Dixon (1875–1946), Washala Maynard Dixon (1875–1946), Levi (1878–1950), Pioneer Mother (Portrait of Hopi Woman of Walpi, , 1923, oil Walker, 1933, oil on canvasboard. Lula Greene Richards), 1936, oil on canvas. Brigham Young Their faces refl ect distinctively Western qualities—they are tough, on canvas. Brigham Young University Brigham Young University. Muse- University Museum of Art weatherworn, stoic, self-reliant, patient, wise, open, and honest. Museum of Art. Gift of Herald R. Clark um of Art. Gift of Herald R. Clark

Art and Artists Dixon painted this dignifi ed portrait of an older clothing, she sits primly outdoors with the Hopi woman during an extended visit to the Hopi Wasatch Mountains as background. Her gentle Reservation in northeastern Arizona with his demeanor belies her achievements as one of wife, portrait photographer Dorothea Lange. His Utah’s most prominent journalists, poets, and portrait of Levi Walker depicts one of the elderly advocates for women’s rights. citizens of Mount Carmel, a Mormon agricultural community in Southern Utah. Look More Closely Lee Greene Richards was one of Utah’s leading artists. He painted portraits of many civic and 1. Notice the remarkable details in Dixon’s portrait business leaders as well as landscape paintings of Levi Walker. In addition to his farmer’s hat and murals for public buildings. He studied in and overalls, Levi’s weather-worn face and neck reveal deep lines, his buckle on his suspenders is Paris three times, adopting the bright colors and bent, and the refl ections of sunlit windows show free brushwork used by the French Impressionists in his glasses. and their contemporaries. 2. The Levi Walker painting is a skillful geometric Historical Context composition of dark and light overlapping shapes creating a grid of horizontal and vertical lines. Dixon’s Hopi woman is from one of the oldest con- Here Dixon uses a muted palette of grays and tinuously inhabited areas in the U.S., beginning dull blues. He sets off Levi’s face by painting it in around 900 CE. Walpi is a stone pueblo complex warmer shades of tan and pink and surrounding located in northern Arizona east of . it with the gray halo of his hat. The overall mud- This Hopi reservation is on the fi rst of three mesas dy pastel color scheme alludes to a land covered above the canyon fl oor. Today Walpi is occupied with a layer of dust—as is perhaps Levi, himself, primarily by the Tewa people, a New Mexican after a hard day of working the land. pueblo culture that still lives in the traditional 3. Although Levi Walker’s gaze appears to be angled manner amid ancient stone structures devoid of toward the viewer, it does not have the bold running water and electricity. directness of Lee Greene Richard’s mother. How might this affect your perception of the personal- Lee Greene Richards painted this portrait of his ity and character of these individuals? mother when she was 87. Dressed in pioneer

18 19 Hard at Work — On the Ranch Western Faces — Of Romance and Love

Maynard Dixon Eanger Irving Couse (1875–1946), Farewell (1866–1936), The (Last Chance), 1912, oil on Lovers, 1909, oil on board. Brigham Young canvas. Brigham University Museum of James Taylor Harwood (1860-1940), Boy Pioneer (Sketch), 1907, Nicolai Fechin (1881–1955), Albert Bierstadt (1830–1902), Young University Art. Gift of A. Merlin oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art Indian Boy, ca. 1950, oil on can- Mormon Boy, Salt Lake City, Utah, Museum of Art. Gift Steed and Alice W. Steed vas. Brigham Young University 1863, oil on panel. Diane and Sam of Janet Southwick Collection Museum of Art. Gift of John H. Stewart Art Collection and Joseph H. Groberg Art and Artists Art and Artists Couse began depicting the Chippewa Indians near J. T. Harwood was one of the first Utah-born artists wore the same clothes for several days. Bathing, his home in Saginaw, Michigan, then devoted to study in Paris, and the first to be exhibited in considered a relaxing, leisurely activity in the himself to painting the life and culture of the Taos the prestigious Paris Salon. Although Harwood’s twenty-first century, involved either dipping into Indians, a Pueblo tribe in New Mexico. Couse was Look More Closely early paintings were wrought in the academic frigid streams or heating enough water to fill a elected as first president of the Taos Society of 1. Couse studied in Paris at the prestigious École des style of nineteenth-century Realism, his Paris large tub. Usually, the oldest member of the fam- Artists in 1912. Beaux-Arts, where he became familiar with im- experience influenced him to adopt a looser, more ily bathed first, with the youngest child being left pressionistic techniques. Which impressionistic tonal and impressionistic approach. Harwood also with the coldest, dirtiest water when his/her turn Almost all of the Taos artists were already mature stylistic characteristics are apparent in Couse’s Lovers? taught many years at the . finally arrived. and well-trained in the academic style when they arrived in the area. Many were given free railroad 2. Although Couse used Pueblo Indians for models, Fechin was a Russian artist who found his spiritu- passage if they would, in turn, donate some of he combined clothing from several cultures, thus al home in Taos, New Mexico in the 1920s. Raised their Taos paintings to the railroad companies helping to create a universal Indian mystique in Kazan and trained in the Imperial Academy of to place in train stations—a propaganda tool to that added to the popularity of Native American Art in St. Petersburg, he achieved some interna- Look More Closely encourage people to travel to the West. communities as tourist attractions. The work tional recognition before the Russian Revolution. 1. The Harwood and Bierstadt paintings are known can be read as a wedding portrait, but posing for as “character studies”—portraits that capture the Historical Context such a painting was foreign to Native American Immigrating to America, he painted portraits in culture. New York before moving west. In Taos he found a personality of the subject but are not necessarily The painters who settled in Taos, New Mexico at stunning landscape and Native people in colorful intended to flatter, as in the manner of a commis- the turn of the nineteenth century were drawn to 3. Each of these works shows a couple courting sioned portrait. Compare these two works, look- – one, an early twentieth-century pair and the costumes who reminded him of the Russian peas- the stunning landscapes and local cultures. These ing for similarities in their postures and demean- artists saw the Southwest landscape and people other, a Pueblo Indian couple. Compare the two ants he had painted as a student. or. Also compare stylistic characteristics such in the following ways: as the overall hue, subtleties of light and shade, as fresh subject matter for a distinctly American • How does each artist convey the romantic over- Bierstadt, a German-American Hudson River gestural brushwork, color temperature (warm or art genre. They considered the Pueblo culture the tones of the courting couples? School painter, is best known for his romantic, cool), textures, and handling of narrative details. perfect example of a people who lived their lives panoramic landscapes of the American West. He in harmony with nature—a striking contrast to • How do the respective titles of the works influ- 2. Fechin’s title gives us no hint as to the nature of became familiar with this part of the country ence your perception of the scenes? the painting except that the subject is an Indian the fast-paced, competitive industrial culture through his journeys with the Westward Expan- boy. And since the work is so highly abstract, it beginning to dominate the rest of the country. The • Farewell was painted in the illustration style sion movement. His style is often characterized by is difficult to ascertain its meaning. Why do you Taos artists recognized that they were capturing that Dixon employed when he was working for a subtle glow known as luminism. think the artist remained so elusive? a way of life that was gradually being replaced by national magazines and newspapers. How does Dixon’s approach compare with the style of 3. Fechin’s youth is gazing upward with the outline cities, towns, and fences. Historical Context painting cultivated by Couse? How do the two of his body hidden amid swirls of vigorous colors. works compare with respect to composition, The everyday life of a pioneer youth was demand- The energetic tangle of his blurred arms and Today the influence of the Taos art colony is pres- tonality, brushstrokes, perspective, and texture? ing, with limited time for recreation. Some of the hands suggests that the boy is in motion, perhaps ent in the flourishing art trade there and in Santa required daily tasks included tending the flocks, taking part in a traditional ceremony or dance. Fe, both popular tourist attractions. Within the • Do you think artistic depictions of romance cooking, collecting wood for fires, and mak- How do the vivid, often diagonal brushstrokes last twenty years, the competitive market for col- have universal characteristics, or do they vary ing soap and candles. Doing the family laundry create a sense of dynamism and movement? lecting these works has escalated, and their value according to cultural norms and rituals? was an all-day affair; consequently, people often has increased accordingly.

20 21 Western Faces — Of Quiet Contemplation Western Faces — Of Ceremony and Pride

Maynard Dixon (1875–1946), Val Tait, 1933, Maynard Dixon (1875–1946), Young Matron Maynard Dixon (1875–1946), Old Bill at Lone oil on canvasboard. Brigham Young Univer- Sichomovi, Arizona, 1933, oil on canvas- Pine, 1929, oil on canvasboard. Brigham sity Museum of Art. Gift of Herald R. Clark board. Brigham Young University Museum Young University Museum of Art. Gift of Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Round Dance, of Art. Gift of Herald R. Clark Herald R. Clark 1931, oil on canvasboard. Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Gift of Herald R. Clark

Art and Artists Old Bill at Lone Pine is a solemn study of a California with regional drought conditions, the situation Art and Artists rancher sitting in the shade, where Dixon spent was one of great despair for both industrial and Dixon viewed Native American life as simple, the summer of 1929 at the foot of the High Sier- rural communities. The United States began to uncorrupt, and interconnected with the natural ras with his wife Dorothea and their two sons. In recover by the mid 1930s, but many countries felt world. Although many Native Americans of this Look More Closely Val Tait, Dixon captured the strong features of a the ill-effects of the Depression until the end of period were suffering from poverty and disease, “Through the dances are united body and soul, and Mormon rancher and farmer from Mount Carmel, World War II. Dixon purposely chose to reveal to the viewer self with the community, and self and tribe with Utah during a summer of painting in the area the majesty and pride of this people—their rich nature and God.” around Zion National Park. Six years later, May- heritage and noble customs. And as they stand ­—John Collier, Native American advocate nard and his wife Edith purchased land and built hand in hand in Round Dance, Dixon shows us their a summer home in this picturesque town. “Mor- Look More Closely sense of community and the shared ceremony 1. Dixon’s simplified forms and bright colors create mons are simple honest farming people,” Dixon that unifies them as a people. a magical ambience as the Taos Indians begin 1. How does Dixon convey the distinctive character- their ritual dance. The music of the round dance wrote to a friend in 1939. “We like them.” istics of each of these three individuals? What is Historical Context centers on various sized drums, and the rhythmic it about their appearance that allows you to draw patterns of the decorative costumes in this paint- The composition of the young Hopi woman is conclusions about certain aspects of their lives In contrast to the increasing lack of spirituality in ing conjure up a sense of the pounding, infec- strikingly colorful and elegant. Dixon felt a partic- and personalities? the lives of most Americans in the second quarter of tious beats. Furthermore, the flickering light cast ular closeness to the Hopi people after a long stay the twentieth century, Dixon admired Native Ameri- about from an unseen fire adds to the mystery of among them in 1923, ten years before he painted 2. These three portraits share a certain solemnity. Why do you think Dixon captured this more seri- cans’ inclination toward spiritual depth and adher- the nocturnal ceremony. this portrait. He returned to the area several times ous, meditative feature of these individuals? ence to ceremonial tradition. He admired their sense 2. The figures in this work seem timeless—as if they over the next decade to paint and visit friends. of community as they gathered to rhythmically transcend the changing world around them. Why 3. Notice Dixon’s dramatic use of color in his invoke the spirits of their ancestors and deities. portrait of the Hopi woman. Her arresting image do you think Dixon chose to portray them this Historical Context way? As Americans, claiming varying ancestries, All three of these works were painted around with black hair and dress stands out against a The Native American round dance is often a white washed plaster wall. A belt of orange and how do we maintain and honor our own cultural the time of the Great Depression, with the Stock friendship dance associated with courting rituals. green at the waist is highlighted by an additional heritage? Market crash of October 29, 1929—known as Black diagonal green line on the bodice and orange and It is thought to have originated in the healing cer- 3. With this open composition and closely cropped Tuesday—which devastated the world’s economy. green ribbons decorating the sleeve and right emonies of the Plains Indians and inspires feelings picture plane, Dixon invites us to participate in Profits dropped, international trade was reduced shoulder. On the wall above her head to the left is of kinship and goodwill. At the time Dixon painted the ceremony. We, as viewers, are not outsid- by fifty percent, and in some countries construc- a medallion that accentuates the bronze tones of this work, the United States government was at- ers here, but can take part in the dance, at least tion ceased entirely. Rural America suffered with her skin. tempting to ban Native American ritual dances in vicariously. crop prices dropping by sixty percent. Combined order to “civilize” native cultures.

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