Window to the West: Landscapes by Howard Russell Butler
Howard Russell Butler (1856 - 1934) accomplished great academic success during his lifetime becoming a recipient of one of the first Bachelor of Science degrees conferred by Princeton University. As a graduation gift, Butler's father presented him with a train ticket to California and the journey helped create his fascination for the American West.
According to the artist's son, Butler worked rapidly with pastels and executed many of the drawings from a Pullman car window while in transit, making rough sketches with the train in motion then subsequently adding details when stopped. His aim was to depict the general character of the region rather than specific places. Focusing on depth of color and nature, he excelled at capturing passing effects of sunlight. It is not known what year these drawings were completed or if they were indeed products of the same journey.
