Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953)
Ditch Workers, Taos, N. Mex (Taos Siesta), 1931
oil on canvas
20 x 24 inches
34 x 37 inches (frame)
signed lower left: J H Sharp
verso: titled, signed and dated; inscribed by artist: "Painted in 1931; Taos Mountain in distance--Pueblo & Taos at Base" -J.H. Sharp, Sept. 1933; label, Nedra Matteucci Galleries, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Joseph Henry Sharp, hailed as the “father of the Taos Art Colony,” gained renown for his vivid Indian figure paintings and colorful landscapes. Born in Bridgeport, Ohio, his early education was affected by hearing loss, yet he pursued art at the McMicken School of Design in Cincinnati. Sharp’s European travels in 1881 marked the start of a pattern: he alternated between studying abroad and exploring the American West, including New Mexico and the Columbia River basin. Settling in Taos in 1912, he co-founded the Taos Society of Artists, focusing on the vanishing Indian culture. Sharp’s art, blending ethnographic detail with artistic flair, remains a testament to his enduring legacy.

“This is a depiction of the “arroyo”, or sand wash that was one of the main thoroughfares from Taos Pueblo to the town of Taos. This location is directly behind art patroness and cultural influencer, Mabel Dodge Luhan’s house, and not more than a half mile from Sharp’s home and studio. Sharp’s title Ditch Workers is perhaps a reference to the pace of life at the Pueblo in stark comparison to the Anglo drive of commercial progress, and/or perhaps it is a reference to the limited options available to many folks during the Great Depression. Long shadows of morning light give depth to the sage, chamisa and Taos Pueblo people with Taos Mountain in the distance rising to meet the passing clouds. Sharp’s masterful brushworks record a scene of everyday life in Taos, now lost to us save for his canvas.” – Davison Koenig, Executive Director/Curator the Couse-Sharp Historic Site, Taos, New Mexico

The painting appears to be in good condition. Under UV examination, there is no evidence of restoration or inpainting.