Originally published in Points West in Spring 2015 Painted Journeys: The Art of John Mix Stanley — Revealing an unknown artist By Mindy N. Besaw John Mix Stanley (1814 – 1872) was a major figure in nineteenth-century American Art, yet his life and art remain unexplored. He was an ardent adventurer who traveled to the […]
The practice of itinerant painting was popular in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. Artists would travel through urban and rural areas seeking commissions from wealthier families and prominent members of society. These portraits would often hang in the household’s parlor room indicating to guests the sitter’s gentility and position in society. […]