Ernest Martin Hennings

(American, 1886-1956)

Land of Sage and Cedar

oil on canvas

signed E. Martin Hennings (lower right)

25 x 30 inches.

This lot is located in Denver.

Plaque affixed to frame bears the inscription: "Presented to J. Gilbert Hause by his friends and colleagues from the University of Northern Colorado on the occasion of his appointment to the presidency of Black Hills State College."

Provenance:

Gifted to J. Gilbert Hause by University of Northern Colorado.

By descent to the present owners.

Lot Note:

Ernest Martin Hennings’s Land of Sage and Cedar manifests the artist’s “plein air” manner—his Impressionistic brushwork, rich palette, stylized lines and contours, and decorative patterns. Echoing a visually smooth texture, the painting displays the soft and peaceful beauty of the open Taos topography. The stretching and verdant hills, dappled in warm, enchanting light, are a subject of remarkable natural charm.

Within the landscape, we notice three Indian figures on horseback quietly passing through the brush. The scene is full of serenity and activates all the senses. The title, Land of Sage and Cedar, immediately conjures up distinct aromas, colors, and forms. As a result, the painting’s viewer, the sole witness to the procession, is also summoned to the experience.

The foliage, a lush backdrop to the trio making their way through the wide expanse, is not an attribute merely serving the composition. Instead, it emphasizes the harmony the Indian and the landscape achieved and maintained in the Taos region for centuries, as the colors reverberating on the canvas, such as the green hue on the horses, indicate.