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Gunfight at the OK Corral by Terence .Cuneo (Nov. 1, 1907- )

Indians Discovering Lewis & Clark and Indian Trek by Charles Russell (1864-1926)

Beginning: We will be learning about two artists who painted scenes of the West. (Name paintings and give artist's names and dates)

Terence Cuneo was born in London on Nov. 1, 1907. He painted portraits, railroad figures, and military subjects. Both Queen Elizabeth II and Marshall Montgomery had portraits done by Cuneo. During WWII he acted as the official War Artist.
This is a true and untarnished reconstruction of the famous fight in the O.K. Corral, between the three Earp brothers and the Clanton gang.
Does anyone know who Wyatt Earp was? He was a gambler, a gun fighter and US Marshall. Wyatt went to Tombstone, Arizona in 1880 with his two brothers, Virgil and Morgan and friend "Doc" Holliday. Holliday was a dentist, but preferred to be a gambler.
Wyatt Earp and his brothers became involved in a quarrel Clanton Gang which lead to the fight at the OK Corral. Ike Clanton, a rustler, was working as a spy for Earp. He was afraid would be discovered by his own men, so he decided to try to kill Earp before anyone found out.
Who are the good guys? Outlaws? What do you think happened to the Clanton gang? (3 were killed)

LINES: With the use of lines, an artist can give the feeling of a calm subject or a feeling of motion. They use |, --, /, or \ lines. Put these on the board. Look for lines in these pictures.

Indians Discovering Lewis and Clark and Indian Trek were painted by Charles Marion Russel. He was born in Missouri. He hated school and would run away to wonder along the banks of the Mississippi River. He traded his drawings to classmates if they would do his math homework. He loved the frontier and would listen to the fur traders and river boatmen swap stories. He flunked out of school at the age of 15 and went west. He painted mostly Indians, cowboys, horses, and buffalo against the vast Montana background. He didn't like progress.
Notice the more peaceful feeling of Russell's paintings than Cuneo. Why? LINES.
When you put three lines together, what do you get? Triangle /\ Triangles give stability to a painting. Upside down triangles draw our attention, because its like someone standing on their head. Upside down triangles also show potential motion. Look for triangles in all the paintings. Earp brothers, Indians, hill, etc.

COLOR: What are the background colors? (Peach, tan, white, blue) Why do you think the artist used these colors?

LOCAL COLOR: a tone which takes its color from the nature of the object portrayed.

CONTRASTING COLORS: fight each other. Dark and light. Your eyes jump back and forth between the groups of men until we see who wins the battle.

BRUSH STROKES: Which painter used heavy, thick brush strokes? Which artist used thin paint? Why?

(Cuneo- gives the feeling of power and strength.) (Russell- gives the feeling of bleakness, distance, emptiness)

ARTIST'S PERSPECTIVE: Where were the artists standing when they painted these pictures? why? (We see Earp's face, he commission the drawing. We see Indians first then Lewis and Clark. Russell loved the Indians and did not like progress.)