A prettied up world it is fun to admire. Maybe it looked like that, maybe it didn’t. Not sure it really matters. American Symbolist artist Pinckney Marcius-Simons. Living from 1867 to 1909, he was born in the United States but mostly lived in Europe. Studied at the Vaugirard College in Paris.

Parsifal and the Knights of the Holy Grail. Undated, by 1909 American, Pinckney Marcius-Simons, artist (1867-19i09), Oil on canvas. Signed MARCIUS-SIMONS on the lower right, artist identified on a label from the Pennsylvania Museum of Art affixed to the back of the frame. Image © Skinner Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://live.skinnerinc.com/lots/view/4-5ZWH5B/pinckney-marcius-simons-american-1867-1909

The Spiritual Light. Undated, by 1909 American, Pinckney Marcius-Simons, artist (1867-19i09), Oil on canvas. Imaged by Heritage Auctions HA.com. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age, via https://www.artsy.net/artwork/attributed-to-pinckney-marcius-simons-the-spiritual-light

Towering Cathedral. Undated, by 1909 American, Pinckney Marcius-Simons, artist (1867-19i09), Oil on canvas. Imaged by Heritage Auctions HA.com. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age, via http://gratzgallery.com/inventory/index.php?page=out&id=307

Fruit and flowers from a 1930 seed catalogue from J. V. Bailey Nurseries, Dayton Bluff Station, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Collections of the United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library

Grootendorst rose (see page 17). Title page/page 2 of a 1930 J. v. Bailey Nurseries’ catalogue. Collections of and digitalized by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/CAT31332055/page/n2/mode/1up

Latham raspberries. Page 4 of a 1930 J. v. Bailey Nurseries’ catalogue. Collections of and digitalized by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/CAT31332055/page/4/mode/1up

Currants and grapes. Page 5 of a 1930 J. v. Bailey Nurseries’ catalogue. Collections of and digitalized by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/CAT31332055/page/5/mode/1up

Wealthy and McIntosh apples. Page 8 of a 1930 J. v. Bailey Nurseries’ catalogue. Collections of and digitalized by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/CAT31332055/page/8/mode/1up

Minnesota number 1 pear. Page 9 of a 1930 J. v. Bailey Nurseries’ catalogue. Collections of and digitalized by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/CAT31332055/page/9/mode/1up

Visions of an American West that doesn’t look that any anymore, at least sort of. Thomas Moran, artist. A member of the Hudson River School, he lived from 1937 to 1926. All of these paintings being taken from a current Christie’s catalogue.

The Southern Arm of the Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Territory. 1874. American. Watercolor and gouache on paper. Thomas Moran, watercolorist (1837-1926). Signed with initials in monogram and dated TM/1874 ln the lower left. Inscribed with the title and description on a label affixed to the backing board. Image © CHRISTIE’S 2022. Fair use license. via https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6367302?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intObjectID=6367302&from=salessummary&lid=1

A Passing Shower on the Yellowstone Cañon. 1903. American. Oil on canvas. Thomas Moran, painter (1837-1926). Signed with initials in monogram and dated TMoran 1903 on the lower right. Signed and dated again and inscribed with title on the reverse. Image © CHRISTIE’S 2022. Fair use license. via https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6367303?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intObjectID=6367303&from=salessummary&lid=1

Painted in 1913. The Castle Rock, Green River, Wyoming (Indian Summer. Green River. Wyoming). 1913. American. Oil on canvas. Thomas Moran, painter (1837-1926). Signed with initials in monogram and dated TMoran 1913 with the artist’s thumbprint device on the lower left. Image © CHRISTIE’S 2022. Fair use license. via https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6367305?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intObjectID=6367305&from=salessummary&lid=1

Landscapes of the American west just a little while ago. Victor Higgins, American artist. Living from 1884 to 1949, he studied at the Chicago Art Institute and in Europe.

Southwestern Landscape. Undated, by 1949. American. Oil on panel. Victor Higgins, artist (1884-1949). Signed Victor Higgins on the lower right. Image Copyright © Bonhams 2001-2022. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. . via https://www.bonhams.com/auction/27415/lot/7/victor-higgins-1884-1949-southwestern-landscape-13-34-x-16-in-framed-15-12-x-17-12-in/

New Mexico Sky. ca. 1922-1923. American. Oil on canvas. Victor Higgins, artist (1884-1949). Image ©2014-2022 JACKSON HOLE ART AUCTION. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via http://jacksonholeartauction.com/art/new_mexico_sky.html

Taos Valley. 1935. American. Victor Higgins, artist (1884-1949). Image https://www.encore-editions.com/taos-valley-1935-by-victor-higgins/. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.encore-editions.com/taos-valley-1935-by-victor-higgins/

Fishing flies to catch salmon. Plates from Edmund W. Davis’s 1904 work “Salmon Fishing on the Grand Cascapedia.” Printed in New York for private distribution by the De Vinne Press.

Salmon fishing flies. Page 51 of Salmon Fishing in the Great Cascapedia. Collections of and digitalized by the University of California Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/salmonfishingong00davirich/page/n50/mode/1up.

Salmon fishing flies. Page 57 of Salmon Fishing in the Great Cascapedia. Collections of and digitalized by the University of California Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/salmonfishingong00davirich/page/n57/mode/1up.

Salmon fishing flies. Page 63 of Salmon Fishing in the Great Cascapedia. Collections of and digitalized by the University of California Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/salmonfishingong00davirich/page/n63/mode/1up.

Fingal’s Cave, Staffa, Inner Hebrides, Scotland. Depictions in various media and artists.

Fingal’s Cave, Staffa, Inner Hebrides, Scotland. British. 1792. Nicholas Pocock, watercolorist. Pencil, pen and ink, and watercolor on paper. Signed and dated “N Pocock 1792” on the lower left. Image © Christie’s 2022. Fair use license. via https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/dramas-light-land-martyn-gregory-collection-british-art/nicholas-pocock-o-w-s-bristol-1740-1821-maidenhead-1/144022?ldp_breadcrumb=back

Vue de la Grotte de Fingal a l’Ile de Staffa une des Hebrides
[View of Fingal’s Cave at the Isle of Staffa, One of the Hebrides]. 1804. French, done in Paris. Hand colored engraving. Michel Picquenot (born 1747), engraver after Josephus Augustus Knip (1777-1847). Image © George D. Glazer 2022. Fair use license. via https://www.georgeglazer.com/wpmain/product/view-of-fingals-cave-at-the-isle-of-staffa-josephus-augustus-knip-paris-1804/

Fingal’s Cave, Isle of Staffa. ca. 1847. British. Pencil, watercolor and bodycolor. William Leighton Leitch, artist (1804-1883). Image © Royal Collection Trust. Fair use license. via https://www.rct.uk/collection/919679/fingals-cave-isle-of-staffa

Fingal’s Cave, Island of Staffa, Scotland. 1884. American. Oil on canvas. Thomas Moran, artist (1837-1926). Collections of the High Museum of Art, Atlanta. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/fingal%E2%80%99s-cave-island-of-staffa-scotland-thomas-moran/mQHHFqVi5xwxog?hl=en

A west that isn’t there anymore, painted by American artist Grafton Tyler Brown. Living from 1841 to 1918, he was the first African-American artist to create works depicting the Pacific Northwest and California. Serving as expedition artist for the Amos Bowman Geological Survey, he made the sketches that became these paintings.

Entrance to Victoria Harbor. 1883. American. Image ©2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. and Uno Langmann Limited and globalnews.ca, Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://globalnews.ca/news/8644926/royal-bc-museum-painting-first-professional-black-painter/

Untitled (Columbia River Scene). Undated, by 1918. American. Oil on canvas. Signed on the lower right. Image ©2022 Tacoma Art Museum. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/tamblog-recent-acquisitions-grafton-tyler-brown-untitled-columbia-river-scene/

A Canyon River with Pines and Figures (Yellowstone). 1886. American. Oil on canvas. Image ©2022 Tacoma Art Museum. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/tamblog-recent-acquisitions-grafton-tyler-brown-untitled-columbia-river-scene/

Grotto Geyser, Yellowstone. 1891. American. Oil on canvas. Photo credit: Christopher Knight for the Los Angeles Times. Fair use license. via https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-grafton-tyler-brown-pmca-review-20180630-htmlstory.html

How it used to be. They may or may not have looked quite like this. Bits and pieces for various murals and other pictures by American artist Kenyon Cox. Living from 1856 to 1919, he was an early instructor at the Art Students League of New York. He painted murals for the state capitols of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Also for the Library of Congress.

Study for a mural entitled “The Light of Learning” which was donated by William Hays to the Winona Free Public Library in Winona Minnesota, in 1910. It depicts the allegories of the arts, from right to left: Art, Poetry, Romance, Learning, Philosophy, History, and Science. Demi-lune. 1909. American. Oil on canvas. Kenyon Cox, artist. Signed and dated Kenyon Cox 1909 on the lower right and inscribed Winona Library on the lower left. Exhibited at the ‘Twenty-Sixth Annual Exhibition’, Architectural League of New York, New York, New York, ca. 1912. Image © Bonhams 2001-2022. Fair use license. via https://m.bonhams.com/auctions/13316/lot/68/

Tradition. 1916. American. Oil on canvas. Kenyon Cox, artist. Collections of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cc0 License 1.0. https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1917.9 . Image via https://fineartamerica.com/featured/tradition-kenyon-cox.html

The Blessed Damozel ‘One of God’s Choristers’. 1886. American. Oil, grisaille on canvas. Kenyon Cox, artist. Signed Kenyon Cox on the lower left. Collections of the Brooklyn Museum. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/125603

Science and Art, Decorations for rotunda, Iowa State Capitol – The Progress of Civilization. Scale 1 inch + 1 foot. Mural study. 1905-1906. American. Oil on canvas. Kenyon Cox, artist. Signed on the lower right. Image source: americanart.si.edu. Collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. In the public domain in the United States because the artist died in 1919. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kenyon_Cox_-The_Progress_of_Civilization,_Science_and_Art(mural_study,State_Capitol,_Des_Moines,_Iowa)–1959.10.5-_Smithsonian_American_Art_Museum.jpg

Promotional posters for the 1939 Worlds Fair that was held in New York City. Various graphic designers. All of these taken from a Swann Auctions Catalog for an auction that is happening today.

The Scenic Route to New York’s World Fair / New York Central System. An assemblage of scenic, captioned snapshots that travelers might see on a trip to New York City to visit the World’s Fair, with the iconic Trylon and Perisphere prominently in the foreground. Many of the little views roughly correspond with pre-existing New York Central Line posters, while the other images were actually used on brochures published by the railroad. 1939. American. Published in Boston by Forbes. Lithographed poster, backed with Chartex. Leslie Ragan, illustrator (1897-1972). Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/LESLIE-RAGAN–1897-1972–The-Scenic-Route-to-New-Yorks-World?saleno=2593&lotNo=158&refNo=789382

Watercolor painting of a poster design for the New York World’s Fair showing a picturesque detailed view of the Trylon and Perisphere, flanked by vignettes of Lower Manhattan in 1789 and 1939 with the Trylon’s sharp point breaking through the top. 1939. Original watercolor painting on Whatman’s Water Color Board. Leslie Ragan, graphic designer (1897-1972). Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/LESLIE-RAGAN–1897-1972–New-York-Worlds-Fair?saleno=2593&lotNo=159&refNo=661825

New York World’s Fair. 1939. Color lithograph poster. John Atherton, graphic designer. Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/JOHN-ATHERTON–1900-1952–New-York-Worlds-Fair?saleno=2593&lotNo=161&refNo=791251

Poster for the New York World’s Fair that features “a visual epitomization” of the Trylon and Perisphere rising over a trail, ship, and a silhouette of New York City. Made in 1938, this design was awarded first prize in the poster competition for the fair. Art Deco/Modernist. Color lithograph poster. Joseph Binder, graphic designer (1898-1972). Published by the Grinnell Lithograph Company, New York. Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/JOSEPH-BINDER–1898-1972–New-York-Worlds-Fair?saleno=2593&lotNo=162&refNo=791253

New York World’s Fair. 1939. Color lithograph poster. Albert Staehle, graphic designer (1899-1974). Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/ALBERT-STAEHLE–1899-1974–New-York-Worlds-Fair?saleno=2593&lotNo=165&refNo=791252

New York World’s Fair / United Air Lines. Poster calendar with 12 calendar sheets attached to the bottom. The artwork depicts a United Airlines Douglas DC-3 ‘Mainliner” making its way across a truncated map of the United States, flying from the Golden Gate Bridge and the towers of Treasure Island at the San Francisco World’s Fair to the New York World’s Fair Trylon and Perisphere on the opposite side of the country. Also issued as a regular poster. 1939. Art Deco. Arthur C. Radebaugh, graphic designer (1906-1974). Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/ARTHUR-C-RADEBAUGH–1906-1974–New-York-Worlds-Fair–United-?saleno=2593&lotNo=166&refNo=744409

Poster showing the Kodak pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Graphic designer not shown. Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/VARIOUS-ARTISTS-New-York-Worlds-Fair–Company-Advertising?saleno=2593&lotNo=171&refNo=743076

Lying around pretending to be one of the ancients when you are a Pre-Raphaelite person. Art by Sir William Ernest Reynolds-Stephens. Living from 1862 to 1943, he was born in America but painted in Great Britain. Studied at the Royal Academy School.

Roman Courtship. ca. 1900. American/British. Collections of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida. Artwork in the public domain due to age. via https://jazzerstenhdr.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/roman-courtship-at-the-john-and-mable-ringling-museum-of-art/

In the arms of Morpheus. Undated. American/British. Signed on the lower right. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.greeklegendsandmyths.com/morpheus.html

Summer.1891. External Link:
http://www.italialiberty.it. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/summer-william-reynolds-stephens/3AHzTLJ0BahnYw

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