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

36305

FRED DARGE, Early Texas Art, o/c

Currency:USD Category:Art Start Price:14,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 20,000.00 USD
FRED DARGE, Early Texas Art, o/c
<B>FRED DARGE (1900-1978)</B></I><BR><I>Going Home Big Bend Country Texas</B></I><BR>Oil on canvas<BR>24 x 32 inches (61.0 x 81.3 cm)<BR>Signed lower right<BR><BR> Fred Darge received his training at two of the most prestigious art schools in the United States: The Art Institute of Chicago and The Art Students League in New York. His first job was a commercial artist, but he was soon unemployed because of the deepening Great Depression. Displaced and out of work, Darge moved to San Antonio to be nearer to West Texas. He had toured West Texas in 1929, and was determined to further explore the area and its artistic possibilities.<BR><BR>In 1935, Darge moved to Dallas. He would spend the warm months traveling to West Texas between Big Bend, El Paso, and the Davis Mountains, and northward into New Mexico. The cold months would then be spent in Dallas finishing the paintings he had started earlier in the year.<BR><BR>Darge became the foremost chronicler of ranch life in Texas. After World War II, he purchased an old ambulance and converted it into a mobile studio, spending 1946 to 1978 traveling and painting throughout Texas and New Mexico. <BR><BR>In this large canvas Darge uses cloud forms and mountains to create a decorative backdrop to hold his horses and riders. Clumps of sagebrush reinforce the decorative effect. Darge uses front lighting to create a dramatic effect. The canvas comes alive with bright and harmonious colors.<BR><BR>Darge is possibly the best early Texas artist at painting horses. In this painting, if one looks carefully, each horse seems to exude its own distinct personality. The rider on the right appears to be an experienced older cowboy, possibly a father figure, while the rider on the left, a young ranch hand or son.<B>Condition Report:</B> Excellent condition. New 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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