John Sloan 1871 - 1951

Private Collection, New York

Elzea Rowland, John Sloan's Oil  Paintings:  A Catalogue Raisonné, Newark, 1991, no. 1101 

SURFACE: in good condition UNDER ULTRA VIOLET: no apparent inpainting
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Sloan visited New Mexico for the first time in the summer of 1919 at the urging of his mentor Robert Henri.  He took the trip with his first wife, Dolly, and his friends, Randall and Florence Davey.  By 1920 he had bought an adobe house in Santa Fe and for the following 30 years spent four months each year in the Southwest. 

He became an active participant in the Santa Fe art colony and encouraged other eastern artists to head west as well.  His work was influenced by both the Native American cultures of the area and the pristine landscapes.  He became President of the Exposition of Indian Tribal Arts in the early 1930s and lobbied the Society of Independent Artists to include works by Native American artists in their exhibitions. 

Unlike his contemporaries, however, he did not paint romanticized views of Indian and Mexican culture, believing these to be "costume pictures" and demeaning to the cultures portrayed.  Instead, he preferred to depict the more natural, everyday life of the southwest, as shown in the present work.