Romance and realism--the Grand Canyon painters between 1874-1920: Thomas Moran, William Robinson Leigh, and Fernand H. Lungren Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Neal, Saralie E. Martin, 1922- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 04/10/2021 04:39:08 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/566593 ROMANCE AND REALISM—THE GRAND CANYON PAINTERS BETWEEN 1874-1920: THOMAS MORAN, WILLIAM ROBINSON LEIGH, AND FERNAND H. LUNGREN by Saralie E. Martin Neal A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF ART In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 7 7 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under the rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major depart­ ment or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judgment the proposed used of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: _____ ______ Hfz.r/'i. n SHELDON REICH Date Professor of Art ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My gratitude and appreciation is first extended to Dr. Sheldon Reich, my advisor and teacher, for his help and support. It was Dr. Reich who first aroused my interest in American art. I owe a special debt to my son, Gentry Garnett Neal, who has photographed my work in art history since he was fourteen. Without his help I could not have completed this study. I am deeply indebted to the following people and institutions as follows: Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and particularly Mrs. Marie Keene, staff librarian, and Oliver Willcox, staff photographer. To Robert Gates of the Santa Barbara Historical Society for helping in getting my photo of Lungren's portrait. To Carl F. Jones of the Crocker Bank in Santa Barbara who gave his time and effort in finding a photographer. To Mr. James K. Reeve, former curator of Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his help in locating the Moran painting at his institution. To Woolaroc Museum, Bartlesville, Oklahoma. To Mr. Erwin S. Barrie, Director of Grand Central Art Galleries, Inc., New York City, for the loan of their files on Leigh. He also sent me personal files. To Mrs. Beulah Moore, widow of Brett Moore of Santa Barbara. The Moores were adopted by Lungren as his children just before iii iv his death. Mrs. Moore’s personal interviews and her files of photos and clippings in her scrapbook were invaluable. To Mrs. Sonia Olsen, Executive Secretary of the Art Gallery, University of California, Santa Barbara, for getting me permis­ sion to photograph Lungren's work. To Mr. Braun, Head of Special Collections, University of California, Santa Barbara. To Captain Elizabeth Autry of Wewoka, Oklahoma, for chauf- fering me around the state of Oklahoma. A special thanks to Mr. F. A. Tipple, advertising manager of the Santa Fe Railroad in Chicago, for his help and the gift of many photographs of their artists. To Linza Jester of the Art Department Slide Room, University of Arizona, for her help in copying restricted material. A thank you to Sheila Hughes, whose excellent help in typing this thesis was invaluable. I am finally indebted to my mother, Indr a F. Martin for her constant encouragement in my endeavors for many years. TABLE OF CONTENTS I Page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS............................................................. vii ABSTRACT ........................................................ ............................ xi 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................... 1 2. • THOMAS MORAN, 1837-1926 ........................................................ 5 The Formative Years, 1853-1869 ....................................... 7 On the Trail of T u rn er............................................................. 12 Traditions and T echnique........................................................ 17 The Father of Our National P a r k s ....................................... 22 Moran Finds The Yellowstone, 1 8 7 1 .................................. 23 The Spell of Grand C a n y o n .................................................. 26 The Age of Illustration, 1875-1890 ....................................... 37 Venice, 1886 and 1890 44 The Grand Canyon of Arizona, 1892-1920 ....................... 45 The Santa Fe Beckons •............................................................. 53 Repetitive T h e m e s ................................................................... 65 The Peak of His Style, 1910-1919 ....................................... 79 H o n o r s ......................................................................................... 80 3. WILLIAM ROBINSON LEIGH, 1866-1955 83 The Beginnings of an A r t i s t .................................................. 83 From Baltimore to M u n ich .................................................. 86 Munich and Europe, 1883-1896 ............................................ 87 Home to the H eartland............................................................. 98 The Fabulous West and the Grand C a n y o n ....................... 104 Canyon Im pressions................................................................... 119 Mountains and Mesas—Canyons and D e se rts....................... 126 Leigh Finds His F orte ............................................................. 131 African I n te r lu d e s ................................................................... 158 Cycloramas and Melodramas.................................................. 160 Fast Action! Leigh’s Last Years ........................................ 171 The S p o k e sm a n ................................. 179 Recognition . ... 185 v vi TABLE OF CONTENTS—Continued Page 4. FERNAND HARVEY LUNGREN, 1857-1932 191 Southern Beginnings................................................................... 191 Lungren is Launched Into Illustration, 1877 ....................... 196 1882-1883, A Wasted Year, A Changed M an....................... 202 The Irresistible Lure—The Southwest, 1892 ....................... 205 Hopi Priest and Canhon Painter, 1890s . 209 First Exhibition, 1899 ............................................................. 220 London Interlude............................................................. ..... 221 The Turning Point, 1903 224 The Desert Dominates .............................................................. 228 His Last Years and the Collection ...................................... 233 The Man......................................................................................... 237 5. CONCLUSION.................................................................................... 243 APPENDIX: OTHER ARTISTS OF THE GRAND CANYON . 248 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................ 260 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. 1882 Survey ............................................ 29 2. Moran: Chasm of the Colorado 1873 .................................. 35 3. Moran: The Glory of the Canyon 1875 38 4. Moran: Side Canyon of the Colorado 1878 41 5. Moran: Morning, Grand Canyon ca. 1892 50 6. Moran: The Gorge at Dawn ca. 1892 .................................. 50 7. Moran: The Inner Gorge, Grand Canyon ca. 1892 . 52 8. 1902 Map of Grand Canyon of A rizon a.................................. 54 9. Map showing Columbus Point, below Yuma Point, West of Hermit’s R e s t ........................................................ 59 10. Moran: Looking Up the Trail at Bright Angel 1901 . 62 11. Moran: Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon ca. 1903 . 62 12. Moran: Storm at Grand Canyon 1907 ................................... 64 13. Moran: A Glimpse of the Grand Canyon of Arizona 1 9 1 2 ................................................................... 67 14. Moran: Grand Canyon 1 9 1 2 .................................................. 69 15. Lithograph of scene on preceding page by G. H. Buek . 70 16. Moran: Yavapai Point 1 9 1 3 .................................................. 72 17. Moran: Canyon Mists—Zoroaster Peak 1914 .... 73 vii viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Continued Figure Page 18. Moran: Clouds in the Canyon 1 9 1 5 .................................. 75 19. Moran: Zoroaster Temple at Sunset 1916 ..... 76 20. Moran: Grand Canyon of Arizona 1920 78 21. Thomas Moran (1837-1926) in 1913, age 7 6 ....................... 81 22a. Leigh: South Rim, Grand Canyon of Arizona 1906-1908 . 112 225. Leigh: The Canyon From Grand View Point ca. 1909 . 113 22c. From Grand View P o i n t ........................................................ 113 23. Leigh: From the Trail at Grand View 1910....................... 115 24. Leigh: The Grand Canyon From Columbus Point ca. 1910 121 25. Leigh: Grizzly Bear ca.