Donald Teague

Provenance:
The Artist
J.F. Oberwinder
J.N. Bartfield Galleries, New York, New York

Exhibited:
National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, "The Pulps and the Slicks: The Golden Age of Western Illustration", November 22, 1991 - March 15, 1992

Illustrated:
Luke Short, "Saddle by Starlight" in Collier's Weekly, July 5, 1952

In this illustration for Luke Short’s Saddle by Starlight, our heroes, it would seem, have discovered that the land baron’s hired guns are secretly hiding out on the ranch, awaiting a signal to attack. In these two gouaches—opaque watercolor is a good way to describe the medium—Teague’s skill is readily apparent. Here, his composition is realistic, placings us, the viewers, exactly where we would be. The emphasis on the horses and the action tucked into the mouth of a mine or cave at right suggests the secrecy of the hidden gunmen and the moment when they have given themselves away. Teague’s figure work is outstanding, as ever, and the highlights he paints on the horses and rocks help bring the scene to life.

-James D. Balestrieri