Joseph Henry Sharp (American, 1859-1953)
Ditch Workers, oil on canvas, signed JH Sharp (lower left)
20 x 24 inches

 

This is a depiction of the “arroyo”, or sand wash that was one of the main thoroughfares from Taos Pueblo to the town of Taos. This location is directly behind art patroness and cultural influencer, Mabel Dodge Luhan’s house, and not more than a half mile from Sharps’ home and studio. Sharp’s title “Ditch Workers” is perhaps a reference to the pace of life at the Pueblo in stark comparison to the Anglo drive of commercial progress, and/or perhaps it is a reference to the limited options available to many folks during the Great Depression. Long shadows of morning light give depth to the sage, chamisa and Taos Pueblo people with Taos Mountain in the distance rising to meet the passing clouds. Sharp’s masterful brushworks records a scene of every day life in Taos, now lost to us save for his canvas.

-Davison Koenig, Executive Director/Curator The Couse-Sharp Historic Site Taos, New Mexico