Birger Sandzén (American, 1871-1954). Arroyo in the Foothills, Colorado, 1922. Oil on board. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 ...

Description

Birger Sandzén (American, 1871-1954)
Arroyo in the Foothills, Colorado, 1922
Oil on board
8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm)
Signed lower left: Birger Sandzén
Signed, dated, titled, and inscribed on the reverse: Arroyo in the Foothills / Colo. / 1922 / Birger Sandzén / Lindsborg, Kans.

PROVENANCE:
Private collection, Clifton Hill, Missouri.

Birger Sandzén, a Swedish-born artist, profoundly influenced American art with his vibrant and textural landscapes, particularly those depicting the rugged beauty of Colorado. Characterized by bold colors and expressive brushwork, Sandzén captured the dynamic spirit of the American West during a transformative period in art and culture. His artistic excursions into Colorado marked a period of artistic maturity for which he produced some of his most memorable works. Painted the same year he became an associate member of the Taos Society artist, Arroyo in the Foothills, Colorado, 1922, showcases his trademark technique of using heavy, textural layers of paint applied with a palette knife and thick brushes, creating a landscape alive with movement and color. The arroyo is depicted with robust and swirling brush strokes, suggesting the wild and untamed spirit of the Colorado foothills. The sky mirrors this vibrancy with billowing clouds of intense shades of blue, lavender, and white, conveying the luminous and expansive atmosphere typical of the region. Sandzén notes, "All color in nature is stronger than anything one can possibly have on the palette. For instance, the shine of the moon-beam or the vividness of the newly opened flower. There can be no danger of exaggerating nature's color."

Sandzén's work from his time in Colorado is not only a visual celebration of the region's natural beauty but also an embodiment of the artist's personal vision and emotional response to the environment. These works are more than mere representations; they are profound, sensory experiences that invite viewers to see the American West through Sandzén's eyes-full of majesty, mystery, and a reverence for the natural world.

Sandzén went on to do a lithograph of the same title in 1923, and in those records the scene is known to be a site close to Pueblo, Colorado.

We thank Cori Sherman North, Curator of the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, Lindsborg, Kansas, for her invaluable cataloguing assistance. This painting is recorded as #2740 in the Sandzén card catalogue of the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery.


More information about Birger Sandzén. See also: Sandzen, Birger, Sandzen, Birger, Sandzén, Sven Birger Artist.



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