LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 December Signature Texas Art #657  / 

36307

BEN CARLTON MEAD, Early Texas Art, oil/linen

Currency:USD Category:Art Start Price:15,500.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
BEN CARLTON MEAD, Early Texas Art, oil/linen
<B>BEN CARLTON MEAD (1902-1986)</B></I><BR><I>Santa Ynez Mission</B></I><BR>Oil on linen<BR>36 x 60 inches (91.4 x 152.4 cm)<BR>Signed lower left<BR><BR> Ben Carlton Mead was born in Bay City and lived in Amarillo, Lamesa, Plainview, and Tulsa. Mead studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, focusing on illustration and commercial art. In 1932, he moved back to Amarillo to live in his ranch home in Palo Duro Canyon, and teach at Amarillo College. That same year, the Witte Museum commissioned Mead to sketch the Indian pictographs in Edwards County.<BR><BR>Mead lived and worked in Dallas from 1941 to 1967 as art director for an advertising agency. Besides his advertising career, Mead had a successful career in magazine and book illustration, focusing primarily on southwestern scenes and themes. He worked with J. Frank Dobie on <I>Coronado's Children: Tales of Lost Mines and Buried Treasures of the Southwest,</B></I> <I>I'll Tell You a Tale,</B></I> and <I>Cow People.</B></I> He also worked with <I>Frontier Times</B></I> and <I>True West </B></I>magazines.<BR><BR>Once retired, he was able to focus on his historic research and southwestern painting. In 1981, he settled in Santa Ynez Valley. This painting is his last great historic painting before he died.<BR><BR>The Santa Ynez Mission was founded in 1804 to serve the peaceful Chumash Indians and serve as a link between the Santa Barbara and La Purisima Concepcion Missions. An 1817 inventory of Mission Santa Ynez listed 6,000 head of cattle, 5,000 sheep, 120 goats, 150 pigs, 120 pack mules, and 770 horses. In that year, the mission baptismal book recorded 1,030 names, most of which were Indian. Also recorded were 287 marriages and 611 deaths. The mission registered its greatest Indian population that same year with a total of 920 Native Americans.<BR><BR>Having experienced many changes since its founding, often times tumultuous ones, Mission Santa Ynez remains rich in tradition, legend, and history. The mission, which commands a superb view of the Santa Ynez River Valley and the Santa Ynez and San Raphael mountain ranges, continues its central role in the social and spiritual life of the community. The mission is an active parish church of approximately 1,000 families and is administered by the Franciscan order.<B>Condition Report:</B> Excellent condition. Period frame in excellent condition.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Requires 3rd Party Shipping (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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