THE INDIAN AS AN ART SUBJECT

There is still infinite opportunity to make the subject of the Indian an important factor in American art. His decorative costume gives an element of color, while his life of action gives rhythm and movement, and the background of prairie and mountain provides dignity and grandeur for the composition. In but little of the mural work has this opportunity been used, though some of the decoration of state capitols has included isolated instances—Douglas Volk in the Minnesota capitol being one. Lawrence C. Earle has decorated a bank building with scenes of pioneer days. Ralph Blakelock, one of the most individual of painters, in his best period pictured the Indian. Elbridge A. Burbank has made many paintings of types and representatives of various tribes—since 1897 over 125 portraits. H. F. Farny, who did fine illustrative work in the ’80’s, has been one of the most prolific painters of the Indian subject. Two of his best are “The Silent Guest” and “Renegade Apaches.” Joseph Henry Sharp has also been a tremendous producer of the western life picture. He has painted nearly one hundred portraits of Indians and Indian pictures for the University of California and eleven Indian portraits for the Smithsonian Institution, Washington.

Sculptors have made ample use of the Indian as a subject. His muscular development, as well as his stoicism, is a monumental quality akin to certain aspects in the Egyptians.

THE ROPING

By W. R. Leigh