American and Western American

The notable strengths of the American collection are American modernism, art of the American West, and prints. It features work dating from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century. The development of American artistic traditions can be traced from portraiture in the late eighteenth century, to the rise in prominence of landscape painting in the 19th century, the popularity of genre scenes, as well as the academic figurative traditions of history and large-scale society paintings. The collection reflects the influence in naturalism stemming from European artistic traditions. Represented artists include: Winslow Homer, Sanford Robinson Gifford, Gilbert Stuart, John Singleton Copley, Fitz Henry Lane, George Inness, Eastman Johnson, William Merritt Chase, Robert Henri, and others.

American art of the southwest includes the Taos School from the first quarter of the twentieth century, early Western modernism from New Mexico, and depictions of the present-day “New West.” A newly defined area emphasizes the cultural history of Arizona and the greater Southwest. Represented artists include Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran, Frederic Remington, Eanger Irving Couse, Walter Ufer, Ernest Martin Hennings, Maynard Dixon, Georgia O’Keeffe, Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, Lew Davis, Philip Latimer Dike, Ed Mell, Paul Pletka, Howard Post, and Louisa McElwain.