60 JULY/AUGUST 2016

BIG CEDARS BY BOLTON COIT BROWN. COURTESY INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART, GIFT OF MRS. LUCY FLETCHER BROWN

STANFORD ARCHIVES in any process except thoseresulting from error on the partofthe practitioner. For Bolton Brown, asto allsupreme workmen, there were no ‘accidents’ lar and mental powers equally; on the im on the equally; powers mental and lar develop to muscu need on the of drawing; act physical on the at length wrote Brown fingers. to brain to eye trained artists, but true swingers no brush mere be would end they the By students. his transform He would years. seven last would proposed he of study course The manifesto. word a20,000- in plans out his He laid of Paris. schools art the rival would that partment a de create to He wanted agenda. secret them? read shelves—and on books his he had actually have art Did heWas of Would taste? Jordan aman questions he answer frankly? Jordan, president artist? Starr an of university—who the hire to wanted fellow—David this cepted was position, the know: to Who he wanted submission power to a claustrophobic and Before of he rules. ac fear adeep had scratch atfrom age of ripe for loathing the he 26, already any department Stanford’s creating of 1891, art with tasked fall the in Alto One way or other, the Palo in hairsplitting. when arrived family Brown father, minister backed path that by or his down was let’s leavetarian to WHETHER BOLTON BROWN EMERGEDFROMTHEWOMB left hisimprint on ’s peaks and on lithography. Brown came to Stanford with anot-so- with Stanford to came Brown Fearless and fervid, Stanford’s first art professor BY DANIEL ARNOLD —JOHN TAYLOR ARMS - - - pared to travel west. west. travel to pared he pre as for himself he imagined disciples of the gratitude the in of basking instead woods the in shack asolitary in Brown with ends story this why is which him, thwarted who of people full world be to the found he fanatics, many so with As freedom. ative cre necessary the allowed he were only if to them lead he would path artistry—a uine gen to path true right, on the students his set to compelled fanatic, earnest an He was night. and noon draw, morning, to perative a raging antiauthori raging a - - - - - STANFORD 61 62 find. to easy not at all is Brown’s mouth stop actually did authority when stance in An childhood. his about writings in recounted Brown but not my brains,” my mouth, stop might “Authority world. the of understanding his but nothing it changed course, Of think. to what him tell would (or father man) any his that stunned interview the from away walked Bolton come. to time for all lieve not be would and he would what him informed of heresy, and him convicted and tried him, before Bolton called who elder the Brown, reached salons gious reli of Bolton’s word informal course, due In siblings. his to matter the plain ex to began eagerly Bolton discovery, of light the with Filled or fairies. Claus Santa than no real more and nience” conve “intellectual an was Satan that revelation the awoke to Brown young, Whenstill figures. authority to tionship rela of Brown’s lifelong story the tells of his memory early body. An and mind in free child, of awild something side as JULY/AUGUST 2016 Another memory, a counterbalance: counterbalance: a memory, Another ROWN SPENT New York, roaming the country the New York, roaming his boyhood in rural rural in boyhood his ------tell which was being rejected, Brown’s Brown’s rejected, being was which tell to difficult be it can so criticism, to active hyperre and pompous strident, turned he communiqués personal his but in art, about texts instructional and essays beautiful sometimes insightful, wrote Brown success. but without curriculum, art areal initiate to Cornell petitioned Brown years, For several unsatisfying. predictably he found work that Cornell, at students architecture to drawing hand free teaching began then and painting in abachelor’s degree with He graduated age 16. courses—at art offer to time the at universities American few one of the next. the and wave, next the for wait and air he’d Then in face. haul his past fall wave end of the back at the sheet silver the watch and eyes his open breath, he’d awave, inside hold his Standing him. over wash high 4feet let crests and bottom lake the into toes his hook would Bolton Naked, plowed up waves. wind the when days, storm thundering were times vorite Bolton’s fa themselves. dryads and iads na by the in called if as lakes and creeks forests, the to took friends his and Bolton Brown entered Syracuse University— Syracuse entered Brown - - - - summer climbing and sketching. and climbing summer each months he spent where mountains, high of the solitude wild the up into way his worked then touristy, it too found Yosemite, in began Brown of Light. Range the called mountains the backbone, granite California’s Nevada, Sierra the to surely as just gravitated West, Brown the in Arriving museums. in he did as Alps Swiss and Trossachs the around tramping much time as spent Brown Veronese Bouguereau, and Turner, study to 1888 and of 1887 mers sum the in Europe to he traveled When at home. than wilderness at home in Slope. Pacific on the institution a new help birth and go west to like would he if Brown asking Jordan, Starr David to secretary be to happened who band, hus sister’s his from aletter received he of 1891, spring the in then, And both. of charge in put him to foresight good the and students and resources with tion institu for an searching schools, tween be bounced Brown up on Cornell, Giving himself. or Brown program proposed Erase any thoughts you might have of of have you might thoughts any Erase more been New had York,In Brown - - - -

SIERRA WOODS BY BOLTON COIT BROWN. COURTESY INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART, GIFT OF MRS. LUCY FLETCHER BROWN

A SIERRA PEAK BY BOLTON COIT BROWN. COURTESY IRIS & B. GERALD CANTOR CENTER FOR VISUAL ARTS AT ; COMMITTEE FOR ART ACQUISITIONS FUND he wrote about of a woman in the woods. woods. the in of awoman about he wrote fantasy adolescent acertain to back link images those Maybe creeks. woodland in bathing bodies curvy generic mostly of nudes, number inordinate an inked career. He his of half first the during or brush. apencil as of granite awrinkle holding comfortable as He was craft. version of mountain committing this to right took Brown equally, gers fin and mind of training imperative the one lived who As else. nothing and boots and fingers trusting soloists, all were climbers Californian original The belays. or even roped hardware of climbing erra Si the in arrival the before atime in ticed prac was Moreover, art 1890s. the the in California in art ahigh already was ing climb Rock strolling. mountain tweedy fingers andboots andnothingelse. . . .Brown took right to this The originalCalifornian climbers were allsoloists, trusting There are two veins to Brown’s art Brown’s art to veins two are There committing version ofmountain craft. - - - - of sky. whole volumes illuminates and red, and rose orange, granite the turns sun ting or set rising when the light evening and morning that alpenglow, Sierra the also and youth of his waves and storms the contain images These of light. rays and clouds of color emerge from hints and shapes Strange lone houses. and ests for above oils, some using or pencil, ink some in skyscapes, of hypnotic a variety canvas. after on canvas inable imag pose every nude into women forced of parade Parisian at the eyes his rolled 1887,in who, man a from long off-note alife way,ther Brown’s nudes became Ei society. high American invaded had that prudishness Victorian of the nose the tweak to he felt compelled Maybe The far better half of Brown’s work is half better far The - - - - - around a subtle dig at her brother’s end dig asubtle around wrapped for Lucy praise sight”—high in thing beautiful most the she being Fletcher, Lucy love with in fall should Bolton that inevitable was “it that wrote Brown’s sister Hall. Castilleja school, preparatory girls’ nearby the at Fletcher, ateacher Lucy he married June That bright. seemed future his and form, and of line amaster and teacher excellent an as recognized was Brown Nevertheless, university. the within college awhole separate create not to drawing, and painting in students struct in to hired been had Brown question. another is mind in had Brown program intensive the construct to for Brown desire any had actually Jordan Whether straw.” without bricks “make couldn’t he that Jordan President to complained In Brown oneline. letter, official the was that least difficulties—at financial tional institu other and crash market stock put on hold been by a had at Stanford Y 1896, in California. But his grand vision vision grand his But California. in Brown was well-established well-established was Brown STANFORD 63 - - - 64 JULY/AUGUST 2016 in his studio in 1935. in studio his in stone alithograph grinds Brown WORK: HARD

COURTESY CHRISTINA GARDNER

SUMMIT OF MOUNT CLARENCE KING “DRAWN ON THE SPOT,” JULY 1895, BY BOLTON COIT BROWN. COURTESY CHRISTINA GARDNER can be inferred about it. Brown had made made had Brown it. about inferred be can but much climb, shared their about thing any wrote two Neither of the wind. the but him catch would nothing him, failed either man’s fingers below, if and far was ground together. The ridge knife-edged the climbed LeConte and Brown So it. out along him follow to declined tourage en LeConte’s and tightrope, astone was wilderness. the of at home edge on the universities, and tains children, born into California’s moun own for his desired have might Brown future the Joe’s was life Little ways Yet alone. many in usually and strung high- uptight, was Brown while crowd, by a surrounded always and easygoing gregarious, was LeConte different: more much been not have could two the age, in close were LeConte and Brown While 26. only UC-Berkeley, he was though at Joe taught father, Little his like Yosemite the Valley. in Also yer working asaw things, of all was, Muir when 1870, in met John Muir father, had who his by preceded explorer, Sierra generation time. same at the spot same at the arrived and mountain of the side another ascended had who friends, of LeConte’s Jr. agaggle LeConte and Joseph into he bumped stone, and sky of empty expanse awidening of greeting instead and the mountain, of corner final a turned Brown ridge, summit below the blue. Just and bright day the turned and the horizon off up floated sun The ice. and of water passage by the mountain the into carved gullies and of ridges network endless an and talus over loose passing mountain, of the girth voluted con up the scrambled and Creek Bubbs by camp somewhere) off their at rushing always was (he Lucy left Brown morning, one Early climbed. they mountains the to rights naming received ascensionists first before window abrief during nia, Califor in Brown’s arrival to prior years 25 named peak unclimbed diner, an Mount Gar was summer that climbed more. and Brown’s dreams all ing fulfill mountains, climbing and creeks in bathing storms, it in roughing Sierra, the in to honeymoon off ran newlyweds The loveliness. on visual discourse less Mount Gardiner’s final summit ridge ridge summit final Mount Gardiner’s asecond- was Joe LeConte Little Brown mountains first of the One ------

topped University Peak’s 13,589 feet. feet. 13,589 Peak’s University topped over Mount Stanford feet, at 13,979 And ledge. catwalk exposed by awildly cessed ac summit anarrow and of stone tains cur hanging massive with striking, and high choice, inspired an It was Stanford. it Mount named for and looking he was mountain the found Brown River, Kings of the creeks headwater remotest the one of above summer, high Later, in gifts. royal with himself ingratiate to wanted surely Brown university—and of the matron and patron Stanford, figure—Jane authority of another afoul run also had quired the appropriate But regalia. Brown re university new the become, could ford Stan what of Brown’sexpectation with fit To at Stanford. special something creating others) afew was he (along with that lieved he be all, After name: Stanford the ry car to mountain out asuitable searching Sierra. High the in there right fired were rivalry Stanford-Cal of the shots first of the Some it. to name versity” “Uni the switched LeConte and Peak, University original the than mountain impressive more and a much larger climbed friends his and LeConte Brown, with Mount Gardiner sharing after days Three Peak. University it simply calling institution, for his peak asmall named earlier,years LeConte had already Six audience. ideal and acaptive made have would LeConte summit, diner’s Mount Gar around maneuver to space don’t). limited With types personality but change, “spewing”—words this call nowadays (climbers plans his about viate blo to type the was Brown And Stanford. for name to mountain Sierra wild high, a find to summer for the mission it his Brown’s climbofMount Clarence King would stand outas Brown had personal reasons for for reasons personal had Brown the mostdifficultascent in19th-century California. ------sides. The higher Brown climbed, the the climbed, Brown higher The sides. on all away falling big air above granite of cube monolithic agleaming, perched where at azenith converging all es, ridg sharp three faces, steep three tain: moun Aperfect stone. bare and lakes of blue landscape sideother of afairy-tale on the for him waited climbed, er before nev King, Mount Clarence meadows. the through and rocks the over flew he fairly and strong, were lungs and legs his tains, moun the in of living months two After climb. for one (again) last Lucy left Brown up, drying creeks the cold, turning nights the end, summer’s At King. Clarence Mount stood crest wave of the top the at And life. entire of his perhaps fornia, Cali in of Brown’s years time high-water filled. was post that and universe, Brown’s in one micromanager only be could There him. undid nearly Stanford of Jane presence for same), hovering the money fit saw wanted when he (except he as department his run to alone left be to wanted only really who and lused, cal were hands his as thin-skinned psychologically as was who For Brown, resolve.” same out this carry to possible as far as Iendeavour And ability. their to as opinion his express and ments com his make to felt at liberty always Stanford “Mr. faculty: Stanford the ing regard wrote, Jane Sierra, the through trekking were Lucy and Bolton that time same at the 1896, In university. the to herself devote to her alone leaving her son, after years nine 1893, in died Lucy. had Jane’s love with husband in falling his as Brown’s nature, ble, given inevita as almost seems Stanford Jane The summer of 1896 was the was of 1896 summer The provoked have should Brown That STANFORD 65 ------66 JULY/AUGUST 2016 Iron Will: the Life and Letters of Jane Stanford LifeIron Will: the Letters and in included and 1896, 20, July dated Hogg Alex to a letter in members of faculty her opinion expressing about writes ford Reminiscences, Editor,” and Mountaineer Club (“Sierra model nude the with incident of the Dr. Jordan’s summary describes Lage, Ray and Ann with interview Farquhar, an in Years of chapter tor” Administra as Stanford “Mrs. the in informants receiving of practice Stanford’s Jane mentions Elliott Leslie Orrin Reading About BoltonFurther Brown in Woodstock, N.Y. gravesite AT Brown’s REST: (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1937). Francis 1937). Francis Press, University Stanford (Stanford: UC-Berkeley Special Collections). Jane Stan Jane Collections). UC-Berkeley Special Stanford University, the First Twenty-Five Twenty-Five First the University, Stanford Club Sierra (Stanford: (Stanford: - - ground and Brown’s plan for a great art department. department. art for a great Brown’s plan and ground back Jordan’s art Starr David about Brown’s questions with Elliott Leslie Orrin to 1891 letter Brown’s April from sages pas includes also Adams lake. the in waves of the also and of Brown’s father stories the include 1993); passages Press, Brown Bolton Adams’s Clinton in ed quot are Memories” “Boyhood of Brown’s manuscript tions Way This in Brown’s beauty on Lucy sister) comments (Brown’s 1985). Elliott Ellen Association, Alumni Stanford (Stanford: Stanford University, 1940). sec University, Long Stanford (Stanford: (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico of New Mexico University (Albuquerque: ulating European galleries (criticism that, that, (criticism galleries European ulating overpop observed nudes he had contrived for the criticisms professional had Brown on.” clothes any have she didn’t lady, and young well-developed a very Francisco, San from lady “a amodel young as cured pro had Brown Professor that discovered she class, adrawing observe by to dropped having when, indignation and shock her recounted Jordan President classes. his of in nude models use over his Stanford past. while ashort only honeymoon his with snow. compared the company Cold through waist his from of provisions sled a towing mountains, the through king trek alone, recess of Christmas weeks three the spent Brown daughter, second of their birth the later, following A year together. hardly were of them three the roles—and their reversed Bolton when for one day, camp—except in Eleanor with her spent time Lucy and King, ence below Mount Clar lakes the sketching time his but spent Bolton there, Eleanor daughter their took 1899, In they tains. moun the in together alone traveled never again Lucy He and steep. proved cent in California. 19th-century as difficult most the out as stand would King of Mount Clarence Brown’s climb Sierra. the done ever in been it had like nothing difficulty, gymnastic and ness For bold sheer of gravity. wants the from desires his separating holds small stone, the in set studs crystal edging boots and fingers his became, mountain the steeper Crayonstone: The Life Work and The Crayonstone: of Meanwhile, Brown feuded with Jane Jane with feuded Brown Meanwhile, the wave Brown rode that summer summer that rode Brown wave the ACK AT STANFORD, the backside of backside the It Happened ------

CHRISTINA GARDNER

MOUNT BOLTON BROWN, 1919. COURTESY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE at Stanford, all but wrote Brown out of Brown but wrote all at Stanford, art teaching about Brown contacted first who man Brown’s brother-in-law, the Elliott, Leslie Orrin expunged. largely was at Stanford legacy his And 1902. in fired politely was Brown line! that but not transparent.” thin, is drapery “The wrote: Brown cretion, show some dis and down pen his lay just to himself bring he couldn’t if as nature, sig usual below his apostscript in Then, woman. the drape to feet) used square (122 of cloth footage square exact the even detailed Brown wrapped. modestly her had Brown rules, the but knowing day, that class in amodel have did they that explained Brown Jordan, President To her attention.” to brought were ings, of happen or rumors happenings, cious suspi that care took always somebody ideals, Victorian Stanford’s Mrs. ing “Know time: at the registrar university the to According informants. ceived re attentively Stanford Jane cerned. con be to reason had Brown classes. drawing recent one of his about nervous unnecessarily become had colleague a that concerned he was that Jordan to wrote letter, Brown frantic oneIn final, clothed. be to have would models the ond, Sec classes. mixed in nude models have to allowed be wouldn’t Brown First, one. bent or broke every probably Brown it appears lines, the between reading and, of agreements, aseries reached They discretion.” any have didn’t but “he said, later Jordan artist,” agreat really was “He Brown. with exasperated came be but clearly situation the humor about kepthis who by Jordan, mediated forth, body. of the parts sexual the for demonizing Church the never forgave aman, and artist an both As boyhood. since Brown haunted had that morality Christian Victorian-era the in dragged she but on of that top aclass, conduct how to him tell to dared administrator, untrained an she, had precisely. Not only more her censure chosen not have could Stanford apoplexy, Brown give to trying specifically been she Had replacement. a want to reason any there nor was ject, anude sub replace could nothing form, human the craft to learning students but for on himself), oddly, he never turned Imagine Jane Stanford’s reaction to to reaction Stanford’s Jane Imagine wentand back Stanford and Brown

he he ------tioners of lithographic printmaking. It’s printmaking. lithographic of tioners practi American expert most one of the became world, Brown art the outside tice no scant work drew his Though surface. stone’s the against paper and ink pressed he when prints detailed sharp, produced space negative acid-eaten the and space tween the grease-protected positive be in elevation difference slight The face. sur blank at the away ate acid the while sketched he had image the protecting grease the acid, with surface drawing the home he washed Back crayons. grease with on them he sketched where woods, the into limestone of flat-cut blocks 100-pound carted he wheelbarrow a With lithography. to life of his years well. pumped hand- and lantern woodstove, of his or water, proud electricity without house a in living ways, wilderness his to verted re Brown Later, own, his on inflexibility. and argumentativeness his with hausted marriage”—probably Lucy, too, grew ex into Lucy nagged had “he he felt sorry that Mary, sister-in-law, told his Bolton years. for many children their from even secret separation their kept and house same the in lived they later, though years afew Bolton divorced Lucy East. Sierra. the in subranges wildest one of the Palisades, southern the in high feet 13,538 standing mountain reticent aproud, is behind, he left stories the vere re to come had who by climbers fornia Cali exited Brown after years 20 named Mount Brown, Bolton academics. or ists art not from climbers, from came nia Califor in one monumentThe Brown to years. 25 first Stanford’s about book his Brown devoted most of the last 20 20 last of the most devoted Brown back moved of four family Brown The The onemonumentto Brown inCalifornia came from climbers, notfrom artists oracademics. ------Daniel Arnold, ’01, trees. two between shade the in resting buried, was Brown where ground the down holding Woodstock, in there still is Brown’s boulder life. entire his he had as just them control to trying details, the at clutched still he weeks, final those in Even by someone else. carved be to date latter of the number last the only leaving death, and birth of his years the and name his it with he engraved where backyard, his it to transport and rock the excavate to crane asmall with acrew hired Brown surface. polished on its sun and ter of wa work of years the showing boulder old atremendous streambed: adry in resting he wanted stone the he found ally Eventu marker. grave for his searching New York, home in his near woods the through hiking He began stone. in fort com found again Brown fatal, be would illness the that doctors told by his and to work with—rocks. how from—and expect to what He knew stone. from art making to life of his rest the devote should granite of Sierra midst the moments in happiest and years best his somespentwho of man a that fitting about mountaineering. about stories short of fictional is acollection book, recent most Arnold’s limited with food. traveling and blanket awool only sleeping with climbs, the on equipment using no modern treks, their physically replicated and journals their in himself immersed he For years, four of Light Range the his in book mountaineers Sierra pioneering other and Bolton Brown who about wrote Ore., Jacksonville, in At the age of 71, sickening with cancer cancer with sickening of 71, age the At (Counterpoint, 2009). 2009). (Counterpoint, STANFORD is a writer based based is a writer Early Days in Days Early Snowblind 67 n - - - ,