Art Around Campus: Two Paintings in the Kamen Gallery
Date
2011Author
Davies, John
Subject
Cooper, A. D. M. (Astley David Middleton), 1856-1924
McCarthy, Frank C., 1924-2002
Metadata
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This video was created by students during the summer of 2011. It appeared on the University's website during the 2011-2012 academic year. John Davies is a member of the Class of 2014 of Washington and Lee University. The following statement, by John Davies, accompanied the video on the University's website:
Some of my favorite art on campus is located in the Kamen Gallery, which is dedicated to art depicting the "Old West." It features paintings and sculptures of Native Americans, cowboys, horses and western wildlife. I have chosen these two pieces because they go together nicely and capture different aspects of the West.
"The Golden Mist" by Frank McCarthy
This painting shows a cowboy on horseback, followed by two other horses, walking through a golden water or mist. To me, it perfectly captures the allure of the West. The golden mist represents the beauty and opportunities waiting there. I feel it shows the false dreams of so many men and women, who believed that the West was a magical place where anyone could succeed. The painting highlights those dreams, while ignoring the potential hardships. I feel this painting glorifies Western expansion.
I found it interesting that McCarthy was born and studied in New York, and was known for his realistic work of the West. In this piece, although the man and horses are realistic in nature, the golden mist is a creation of McCarthy's mind.
The Kamen Collection of Western Art was bequeathed to W&L in 1986 by Stan Kamen '49L. Additional paintings and prints in the collection are on display in Newcomb Hall, Leyburn Library, the Alumni House and Elrod Commons.
"The Death Watch" by ADM Cooper
At first glance this painting is simply a group of bison surrounding a dead Native American. I feel this piece allows the viewer to explore a lot of questions such as how this man died, why he was left to become a part of nature and how the bison fit into the whole piece. While no one can correctly answer any of these questions, it makes it difficult to look away from this painting. After doing some research, I discovered that Cooper painted various renditions of this piece, sometimes referred to as "Inquest on the Plains."
Cooper was born in 1856 in St. Louis but lived much of his life in the West. George Catlin, a family friend, inspired Cooper at a young age with stories of his interactions with Native Americans. Cooper was known not only for his talent at Western paintings, but also for his colorful personality and love of night life. I like this piece because it incorporates many elements of Western life into one, from the dangers faced, to the wildlife and the indigenous peoples.
These are in the Kamen gallery, Lenfest Center