Provenance
Consigned to American Legacy Fine Arts by private collectors
Description
The oil painting depicts a colorful and vibrant impressionist view of canyon walls. Although born in England, Sam Hyde Harris began drawing imaginary scenes of the American southwest at the age of twelve. His family moved to Los Angeles when Harris was fifteen and he immediately became captivated with the warm colors of the west. In 1920 the Santa Fe Railway hired Harris to create art posters to help bolster the railway's promotional efforts in traveling by train to the southwest. Harris became recognized for his Grand Canyon scenes and for his particular hues of warm reds and yellows contrasted by cool blues. Additionally, Harris was hired by the Southern Pacific Railway and created work for their popular travel magazine, "Sunset Limited". Harris eventually settled in Alhambra, California near Pasadena among a community of artists in a location known as "Artists Alley". He was known as one of “the Eight” leading artists in the city and outlived the other seven, remaining in Alhambra until his death at the age of 96 in 1977. The work is framed in a handcrafted Mayen & Olsen frame dated “2005”.
Artist Information
DAV, AIC p. 492, Whos2 p. 1469.
On Verso
“Gift from Sam and Marion Harris”
“Trotter Galleries” label
“Katherine Norris Fine Art, LLC” label
“American Legacy Fine Arts” label
Exhibited
Early California Masters: Paintings from the Katherine A. Norris Legacy Collection, American Legacy Fine Arts, Pasadena, California, November 12 - December 19, 2021
