Eanger Irving Couse (American, 1866-1936). Winding the Bow. Oil on board. 9 x 12 inches (22.9 x 30.5 cm). Signed and ins...

Description

Eanger Irving Couse (American, 1866-1936)
Winding the Bow
Oil on board
9 x 12 inches (22.9 x 30.5 cm)
Signed and inscribed lower left: E.I. Couse N.A.

PROVENANCE:
Altermann Galleries, Santa Fe, New Mexico, August 16, 2014, lot 102;
Private collection, Chicago, Illinois.

E.I. Couse was the first president of the Taos Society of Artists. His work was widely seen throughout the United States thanks to his patronage by the Santa Fe Railroad who used over twenty of his paintings for the cover of its annual calendar. Couse was a studio painter who used only two models during all of his days in Taos. Although he occasionally sketched in the open air, he preferred to pose his models using his extensive collection of Native American artifacts in his studio. He frequently repeated the theme of Indians squatting before a kiva fireplace or in front of a campfire, using the light of the fire to provide a moody quality to the painting. He also often pictured Southwestern Indians engaged in traditional native arts, such as pottery making or weaving. Like other artists of his time period, Couse often mixed artifacts and clothing from various tribes into a single painting.

We wish to thank Virginia Leavitt, granddaughter of E.I. Couse, for providing invaluable information on this lot, which will be included in her forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the artist's work.


More information about Eanger Irving Couse. See also: Couse, Eanger Irving, Couse, E. Irving, Couse, Eanger-Irving Artist.



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