O.E. Berninghaus & A Bit of Rural Taos

Like other Taos artists, O.E. Berninghaus (1874 - 1952) created remarkable portrayals of Pueblo Indians, but he was also drawn to the other peoples and cultures of New Mexico. He spent hours speaking with wagonmasters, farmers, and cowboys; he knew his subjects well. In these intimate paintings of rural Taos, Berninghaus captures authentic daily life on the ranchitos. The busy figures and adobe structures create intriguing stories, with a backdrop of majestic mountains, willowy cottonwoods, and vast sky. These bucolic paintings celebrate ordinary life in extraordinary landscape, portraying a lifestyle close to nature, perhaps even spiritual. Collectors and art critics are taking note of Berninghaus' distinct relationship with the various cultures of Taos, as found in his unique rural paintings.