It's so interesting to refer to art and artists both contemporary or historic. Last week was about plastic as a recent art medium. This week is a historic step back to one of the artists who was inspired by Santa Fe & Taos, NM scenery. In the early days of the past century, there was a wonderful colony in Santa Fe. A few artists are so well known as to immediately come to mind; others not so much.
Perhaps Andrew Dasburg (1887-1979) falls into the latter category. He trained privately with renown teachers as he made his life in Europe and NYC. It was while Dasburg was studying in Paris that he came to know Matisse and also the style of Cubism. (This style would later greatly influence his works in NM.)
As with so many artists, he was invited to Taos, NM by Mabel Dodge Luhan,the patroness of the arts and an active member of the art colony there. Making his home in Santa Fe, he rubbed elbows with her and Georgia O'Keeffe.
When Dasburg passed in 1979, a retrospective showing 96 of his paintings was exhibited at the New Mexico Museum of Art. His works are in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art, MOMA, and several others.
In fact, his home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and yet with all the accolades, Andrew Dasburg's name and art have faded in the popular conscious. Why is that?
(While he did use Cubism as the basis for much of his scenic paintings, he employed a different technique for his still life paintings. Here's a sampling of both - click to enlarge)
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