Dave Samuelson: Little Big Horn

SCHOLARSHIP AUCTION 2009
Artist: Dave Samuelson
Title: Little Big Horn
Medium: acrylic on board
Dimensions: 15” x 23”
Date: 1989

A masterpiece of photorealism, the oil painting of Little Big Horn is so extraordinary in detail that on initial view, one is convinced it must be a photograph. Knowing that every woolly curl and the reflective eyes of these two animal friends were painted with meticulous precision, we are further awed by the artistry. The close perspective and fascinating angle of the mouflon bring us into the painting so that we can touch their soft fleece and rugged and volute horns and appreciate their noble, endearing nature. The mouflon reflect our own Waimea lifestyle and our interdependence with pasture herds to sustain the community and ranchlands.

There is a chic, modernist quality to this painting; the remarkable palette of grey-blue tones stands out against the solid white backdrop and contributes to the work’s power and pleasing aesthetic. Little Big Horn will add great variety and strength to any art collection.

Dave Samuelson received his fine arts degree from the Kansas City Art Institute and taught sculpture at the University of Montana. He gained recognition with his paint and brush to depict and interpret the mountains and their inhabitants. In 1988 his Rite of Spring won the Montana Duck Stamp Contest, and the auction of his elk paintings through the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation raised thousands of dollars across the country.

Samuelson is a storyteller in the Western tradition of Charlie Russell. His stories spring from decades of mountain hunting and guiding. His wildlife art brings vision and deep understanding of the animals he depicts and their relationship to us and to each other.

Gift from the Maiss Family