Missouri Artists

Artists have been active in Missouri since Europeans first started settling here. 1819-1820 Stephen Long had 2 artists to record landscape

Even Lewis and Clark drew images of the land, animals, and plants they saw.

Charles Alexandre Le Sueur of France sketched & painted scenes of frontier life in early 1800s Missouri

Swiss artist, Karl Bodmer journeyed with Maximillian through Missouri in 1832-1834. Through watercolors, Bodmer portrayed Plains Indians and landscapes.

Chester Harding (1792-1866) painted this portrait of an aging Daniel Boone in St. Louis. Harding was known for his portraits.

John Mix Stanley (1814-1872)

John Mix Stanley was a well-known painter of Indian life in St. Louis. His painting “Last of the Breed” on the previous screen and “Osage Scalp Dance” on the next screen are two of his more famous works

George Catlin (1796-1872) was self-taught, he arrived in St George Catlin (1796-1872) was self-taught, he arrived in St. Louis in 1832 His “Illustrations of the Manners, Customs, Conditions of the North American Indian (1841) was even used by science.

Catlin’s mother once was captured by Indians Catlin’s mother once was captured by Indians. This may have influenced him for his interest in Indians. He was convinced westward expansion meant disaster for native peoples. He was first to record Indians in their own territories, living in harmony with nature.

Catlin was friends with William Clark and painted Indians visiting Clark in St. Louis and scenes from the Lewis and Clark Expedition General William Clark (1830)

Site where Sgt. Floyd died on the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Prairie fires as painted by George Catlin

Catlin painted many famous Indian Chiefs of the area. This is Chief Black Hawk of the Sac tribe

Chief Keokuk of the Fox tribe

Chief White Cloud of the Iowa tribe

Pigeon’s Egg Head before and after trip to Washington

The Indian Removal Act had just been passed when Catlin first traveled west in 1830. He saw the devastation this migration, as well as smallpox and settler incursions, caused the tribes. Congress rejected his works, so he took them to Europe.

Catlin was a strong advocate showing the nobility of these still-sovereign peoples

His enactments of war dances were the actual first Wild West Shows

Of a different style of artist, Haitian-born John James Audubon chose a new path in his depiction of the west.

Audubon came to the U.S. in 1803 possibly to escape being drafted into Napoleon’s army. His early days were spent in the East but bankruptcy led him to travel the Mississippi River. In 1843, he traveled up the Missouri.

Ironically, Audubon may have led in a way to the extinction of some species. He would shoot the bird and mount it with wire in it’s natural habitat, the rarer the bird, the stronger his desire.

Fox and Goose by Audubon

Audubon name would become equal with naturalism. The National Audubon Society was formed in 1905. It’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.

George Caleb Bingham (1811-1879) Artist & Politician First Chief of Police in Kansas City

Much of Bingham’s work focused on the work and life along the great rivers of Missouri and Mississippi

Although he was pro-Union, his painting “Order No Although he was pro-Union, his painting “Order No. 11” stirred support of the pro-south residents in Missouri who were mistreated by Union soldiers with this law. In a letter to the law’s creator, Gen. Thomas Ewing, Bingham said “if you execute this order, I will make you infamous with pen and brush.

Order No. 11 painted to destroy Gen. Thomas Ewing, creator of the law

Other works by Bingham represented events in the Daniel Boone family Bingham was very interested in the political system in Missouri. Many of his works expressed this interest. Other works by Bingham represented events in the Daniel Boone family

Daniel Boone escorting settlers thru the Cumberland Gap

Washington Crossing the Delaware

Bingham would teach at Mizzou until the time of his death (1877-79) He would hold positions of State Treasurer and Adjutant General He was also the Board of Police Commissioner president in Kansas City.

Carl Wimar (1828-1862) Born in Germany, emigrated to St. Louis at 15 years of age. Painted the first murals west of the Mississippi in the Old Courthouse rotunda in St. Louis

Abduction of Daniel Boone’s daughter

Born in Neosho, imagery of the west were forefront for Benton Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) Born in Neosho, imagery of the west were forefront for Benton

Missouri Artists Thanks for looking