Author Description

The text by Peter H. Hassrick and Elizabeth J. Cunningham draws on Blumenschein's papers as well as other archival sources to explore in depth the dimensions of his multifaceted life and his place in American history and culture. They examine his sixty-four-year artistic career, first as an illustrator and then a painter, revealing how his technique evolved and how his schooling and the artistic movements of his time informed his work. The authors demonstrate how Blumenschein's musical training profoundly influenced his painting, and they address issues overlooked in previous studies, such as Blumenschein's pivotal role in helping to preserve American Indian culture. Additional contributions by noted art historians focus on particular paintings, such as Superstition (1921) and Jury of the Trial of a Sheepherder for Murder (1936), and particular aspects of the artist's work, including modernism and his promotion of American Indian rights. "In Contemporary Rhythm shows that, far from simply a western painter, Blumenschein is a major figure in twentieth-century American art, bridging traditionalism and modernism. As the only book of its kind available on this influential artist, it is a major contribution to American art history. It is also a visual feast."--Jacket.