This volume collects a selection of works of art produced in the
western United States belonging to the collection of the Petrie
Institute of Western American Art housed in the Denver Art Museum. This
collection is one of the richest and most substantial in the world on
this subject, thanks to its outstanding bronze sculptures, early modern
works, and contributions from the artistic communities of Tao and Santa
Fe. The central theme of the book is the period stretching from the
beginning of the 19th century to the mid-20th century.


More than
200 pages of portraits, genre scenes, landscapes, and depictions of a
still-intact wilderness make evident the diversity of the collection.
The narrative proceeds chronologically, presenting early luminaries such
as Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Remington, and Charles M. Russell; Robert
Henri and the artists of the TAO community; and prominent modernist
painters, including Maynard Dixon, Marsden Hartley, and Raymond Jonson.
Numerous illustrations and expert interpretations chronicle the
artistic, cultural, and identarian climate in the western United States
during this period. A prologue by historian Dan Flores and an epilogue
by art historian Erika Doss describe the vaster context in which to view
this rich history of American art.

Text by: Erika Dross, Dan Flores, Molly Medakovich, Jennifer R. Henneman, Thomas Brent Smith