Scottsdale’s Museum of the West Pays Tribute to the Taos Society Of Artists

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West pays tribute to the Taos Society of Artists − one of the most influential schools of American painting in the nation’s history − with a major exhibition of masterpieces on display Jan. 10 through April 30. “The Taos Society of Artists” features paintings by 19 artists and includes more than 80 of the finest and most valued Society artworks ever exhibited together. The paintings are on loan from institutions across the country, as well as private collections.

The Taos Society of Artists was founded in 1915 in Taos, New Mexico, by six artists who were inspired by the area’s enchanting land and indigenous peoples. They included Oscar E. Berninghaus, Ernest Blumenschein, E. Irving Couse, Herbert Dunton, Bert Phillips and Joseph Henry Sharp. The invitation-only Society eventually grew from its six founding members to a total of 12 members and seven associate members. Society members were required to have worked in Taos for three consecutive years, have shown an interest and aptitude for capturing the spirit and character of Native Americans in their paintings, and have shown work in reputable galleries or New York salons. The artists also shared a European academic artistic training. These artists not only created a distinctive style of American art, but also played a key role in transforming the remote Taos community into an international art center, with the Society artists enjoying a large measure of celebrity. The Society officially disbanded in 1927 due to faltering economic conditions leading up to the Great Depression of the 1930s, and some tensions among the Society’s members who, by then, were well-known and in demand for solo exhibitions.

Oscar Berninghaus, Glorieta, 1927, oil on canvas. Berninghaus Family Collection.

The museum is presenting a number of events in conjunction with the exhibition. A series of four monthly “Taos Tuesdays” programs will be held between 11 a.m. and noon in the Virginia G. Piper Theater/Auditorium. Topics include tourism and cultural heritage (Jan. 31), collecting and the patron/artist relationship (Feb. 14), Taos Associate Member John Sloan’s advocacy of Native American art (March 14), and a screening of Awakening in Taos, a documentary about Mabel Dodge Luhan and her role in making Taos a haven of inspiration and creativity for writers and artists (April 11).
“The Taos Society of Artists” Symposium, a two-day lecture series sponsored by Marcia and Hugh Ruddock, will be held from 1 to 5 p.m., Thurs., April 6, and Fri., April 7. For more information about the events, visit the museum’s calendar HERE.

Ernest L. Blumenschein, The Chief Speaks, 1917, oil on canvas. Private Collection, photograph courtesy Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, N.M.

The exhibition is co-curated by Tricia Loscher, Ph.D., chief curator of Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, and Peter Hassrick, director emeritus of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Scottsdale Art Auction is the exhibition sponsor.

The Taos Society of Artists

Jan. 10 – April 30, 2017

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale

For more information, visit scottsdalemuseumwest.org.