Provenance:

Doll & Richards Fine Art Dealers, Boston.

Godspeed's Book Shop, Boston.

Evansville Museum of Art, Evansville, Indiana, acquired circa 1972.

Acquired from the above by the late owner, 1979.

Lot Essay:

Born in 1841 to previously enslaved parents, Grafton Tyler Brown was among the first black artists to travel the American West to capture its rugged beauty. After initially settling in California in the early 1860s, Brown worked as a lithographer and cartographer to create maps for miners and prospectors. In 1872, Brown abandoned the lithography business to dedicate his time to painting views of the American West, which were often viewed as a symbol of freedom following the Civil War. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was amongst Brown's favorite subjects, as he made several renderings utilizing different vantage points from 1886-1891. Similar views are in the holdings of the Smithsonian and the Colby College Museum of Art.