Forging an American Identity: The Art of William Ranney, With A Catalogue of His Works

Cody, Wyoming: Buffalo Bill Historical Center, 2006. Hardbound. VG (DJ spine may be slightly faded and may have inscription on ffep). Green cloth with color illustrated dust jacket. xxxviii, 224 pp., profusely illustrated mostly in color. Painting in the mid 1800s, Ranney's subjects represent the diversity of early America -- from a Revolutionary War hero to a family headed West toward a new life, and from the festivity of a Virginia wedding to the profound grief of burying one's child on the prairie. The exhibition that this book accompanies included some 60 works of art that had been gathered from public and private collections across the U.S. It was the first comprehensive exhibition of Ranney's art in over 40 years. This exhibition included paintings that rarely travel and some that have recently been re-discovered. This exhibition was an unparalleled gathering of the artist's most significant paintings. Viewers were treated to those new insights in a rare gathering that may not be replicated in our lifetime. This book is filled with the documentation that supports the brilliant synthesis of this artist's work and this curator's presentation. Lists 150 paintings and 85 drawings.