An Aztec Sculptor

1887

George de Forest Brush

Associated Names
George de Forest Brush

Painter, American, 1854 or 1855 - 1941

This painting shows the back view of a person sitting cross-legged on a blue-green mat or rug with yellow details, carving a large slab of white stone with gray marbling. The person has light brown skin and dark, straight hair, and they are wearing a gold arm band and a leopard print garment wrapped around their waist over what looks like orange pants visible at their knees. They hold a small chisel and hammer, and are carving small lines into the flat stone. The right and top edges of the stone slab have intricate patterns and designs, including the outline of a standing person wearing a feathered headdress, vines, animals, and geometric patterns. The floor below the person is more white marble, and the wall behind the slab is gray. The inscription "Geo. D. F. Brush" and the date "1881" are visible in the right corner.

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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Probably purchased 1887 from the artist by Thomas B. Clarke [1848-1931], New York; (his sale, Chickering Hall, New York, 14-18 February 1899, 4th day, no. 315); E.N. Lawrence.[1] Mrs. John Burling Lawrence, at least in 1933.[2] Ann and Thomas Barwick, Seattle; gift (partial and promised) 2005 to NGA; gift completed 2019.
[1] According to an annotated copy of the 1899 sale catalogue in the Knoedler Library Microfiche (American Sales, 0248).
[2] Mrs. Lawrence lent the painting to a 1933 Brush exhibition at the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1887

  • 9th Annual Exhibition, Society of American Artists, New York, 1887, no. 19.

1888

  • Annual Exhibition of American Paintings & Sculpture, Art Institute of Chicago, 1888, no. 132.

1908

  • Exhibition of Pictures by American Painters, Union League Club, New York, 1908, no. 2, as Aztec Sculptor.

1930

  • Thirty Paintings by Thirty Artists. Eighteenth Annual Exhibition, Macbeth Gallery, New York, 1930, no. 3.

1933

  • Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings by George de Forest Brush, American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, 1933, no. 38.

2008

  • George de Forest Brush: The Indian Paintings, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Seattle Art Museum, 2008-2009, no. 11, repro.

2016

  • American Art from a Pacific Northwest Collection, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, 2016, no catalogue.

Inscriptions

upper right in red: GEO D[E?] F BRUSH / 1887

Wikidata ID

Q20189846

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