Gerald Curtis Delano

Infobox Artist
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name = Gerald Curtis Delano


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birthdate = birth date |1890|4|14|
location = Marion, Massachusetts
deathdate = 1972
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nationality = American
field = Painting
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Gerald Curtis Delano (April 14, 1890 - 1972) was a painter of the American west.

Delano was born in Marion, Massachusetts. He served in the US Navy in the First World War, then worked on a ranch in Colorado, before moving to New York to study art. For many years he lived and painted in Denver, Colorado and Summit County, Colorado.

Career

In his early artistic years, Delano:
* Illustrated magazines such as "Cosmopolitan", "Collier's Weekly" and "Western Stories"
* Painted scenes for calendar companies
* Drew comic illustrations for magazines both in the USA, such as "Life" and "Puck", as well as "Punch" in Britain.

During his later years, his painting focused on depictions of Navajo people, red sandstone canyons, and wildlife. His style shows some Cubist influences.

The saguaro cactus as a symbol of the West

In 1940, Delano painted "Navajo Shepherdess", placed in Monument Valley. In it he placed a saguaro cactus, although it was well outside the naturally occurring area for this plant. It is believed to be the first illustrative use of the plant to symbolize the American West, which has become almost ubiquitous.

Education

* Art Students League of New York
* Grand Central School of Art, New York

References

* Bowman, Richard G., 1990. "Walking With Beauty: The Art and Life of Gerald Curtis Delano". Niwot, Colo.: University Press of Colorado. ISBN 0-9625410-0-1

External links

* [http://www.wildlifeart.org/Collections/ArtistBio.cfm?tArtistid=316&tUrl=/events/index.cfm&UrlName=Main_Events_Page National Museum of Wildlife Art]
* [http://www.delanoye.org/Gerard/ Beauty in Navajoland]