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  • Solon H. Borglum

Solon H. Borglum

Solon Hannibal Borglum, the younger brother of Gutzon Borglum, was born in Ogden, Utah in 1868. His bronzes reflect the beauty and vitality of the west. He died in Stamford, Connecticut in 1922. 

Solon Borglum studied at the Cincinnati Art Academy 1895–97 with Louis Rebisso. He arrived in Paris where he studied in Paris with Emmanuel Frémiet in 1897. His works reflect Rodin's impressionistic influence.

While in Paris he won Salon awards for his pieces, Lassoing Wild HorseStampede of Wild Horses,and The Lame Horse. Other notable works are Bucking Broncos (1898), The Bronco Buster (1901), and Bucky O'Neil (1907). Borglum exhibited seven sculptures at the Armory Show of 1913 in New York City. 

Biographical information on this page was adapted from Artists of Utah.

Solon Borglum, the brother of Gutzon Borgulum was born in Ogden. Moving eastward later, the younger Borglum worked as a cowboy in the mid 1800s while Gutzon was in school. Solon's older brother returned to this country in 1893 from Paris, by that time, Solon was manager of a cattle ranch in Nebraska. Gutzon related the wonders of the artist's life in Europe to Solon, and advised Solon to become a professional.

By 1897, Solon was studying in Paris with Emmanuel Fremier. Borgolum was now under the influence of a truly knowledgeable master of bronze technique and a frequently superb depicter of movement in statuary. Taking advantage of such such an excellent example, Solon soon seized upon a way to convert a like energy to Native American themes. As sculptural counter parts to Charles Russells or Fredric Remington creations, the small bronzes of Borgolum rival in effectiveness the three dimensional work of even the latter. Solon stayed on in France for years to come and also lived and worked in New York City in the late 1910s and into the early twenties.

Biography courtesy Artists of Utah

Books

Ainsworth. The Cowboy in Art. New York, NY: World Pub. Co., 1968.

Archives of American Art. Archives of American Art. Smithsonian Institution: a Checklist of the Collection. Washington, D.C.: The Archives, 1975.

Arkelian, Marjorie. The Kahn Collection of Nineteenth-century Paintings by Artists in California. Oakland, CA: Oakland Museum, Art Department, 1975.

Armstrong ,Tom. 200 Years of American Sculpture. Boston, MA: D. R. Godine, 1976.

Axelrod, Alan. Art of the Golden West. New York, NY: Abbeville Press, 1990.

Bell, David. Praeger Encyclopedia of Art. New York, NY: Praeger Publishers, 1971.

Broder, Patricia J. Bronzes of the American West. New York, NY: H. N. Abrams, 1974.

Brown, Milton W. A merican Art to 1900: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture. New York, NY: H. N. Abrams, 1977.

Carter, Robin B. Gutzon Borglum: his Life and Work. Austin, TX: Eakin Press, 1998.

Corcoran Gallery of Art. Privately Owned; a Selection of Works of Art from Collections in the Washington Area. February 10-March 13, 1952. Washington, D.C.: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1952.

Craven, Wayne. Sculpture in America. New York, NY: Crowell, 1984.

Davenport, Ray. Davenport's Art Reference. Ventura, CA: Davenport's Art Reference, 2001.

Dunbier, Lonnie P., ed. The Artists Bluebook: 29,000 North American Artists. Scottsdale, AZ: AskART.com, 2003.

Earle, Helen L. Biographical Sketches of American Artists. Lansing, MI: Michigan State Library, 1972.

Ekdahl, Janis. American Sculpture: a Guide to Information Sources. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co, 1977.

Falk, Peter Hastings. Annual Exhibition Record, 1901-19: National Academy of Design. Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1990.

Falk, Peter Hastings. The Annual Exhibition Record of the Art Institute of Chicago. 1888-1950. Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1990.

Falk, Peter Hastings. Who Was Who in American Art. 1564-1975: 400 Years of Artists in America. Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1999.

Falk, Peter Hastings. Who Was Who in American Art: Compiled from the Original Thirty-four Volumes of American Art Annual--Who's Who in Art. Biographies of American Artists Active from 1898-1947. Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1985.

Fielding, Mantle and Glenn B. Opitz. Mantle Fielding's Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors & Engravers. 2nd ed. Poughkeepsie, NY: Apollo, 1986.

Fink, Lois M. American Art at the Nineteenth-century Paris Salons. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 1990.

Gardner, Albert T. American Sculpture: A Catalogue of the Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY: Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1965.

Gerdts, William H. Art Ccross America: Two Centuries of Regional Painting. 1710-1920. New York, NY: Abbeville Press, 1990.

Getlein, Frank. The Lure of the Great West. Waukesha, WI: Country Beautiful, 1973.

Hunt, David C. Legacy of the West. Omaha, NE: Joslyn Art Museum, 1982.

Kearney State College. A survey of Nebraska art: exhibition, October 1-27, 1978. Omaha, NE: Art Gallery, Kearney State College, 1978.

Kennedy Galleries. The Kennedy Galleries are Host to the Hundredth Anniversary Exhibition of Paintings and Sculptures by 100 Artists Associated with the Art Students League of New York, March 6-29, 1975. New York, NY: Art Students League of New York, 1975.

Mallett, Daniel T. Index of Artists, International-Biographical; Including Painters, Sculptors, Illustrators, Engravers and Etchers of the Past and the Present. New York, NY: P. Smith, 1948.

Mathey, Francois. American Realism. New York, NY: Rizzoli, 1978.

Mendelowitz, Daniel M. A History of American Art. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1960.

Moure, Nancy and Dustin Wall. California Art: 450 Years of Painting & Other Media. Los Angeles, CA: Dustin Publications, 1998.Myers, Fred. The Treasures of The Gilcrease. Tulsa, OK: T. Gilcrease Museum Association, 1979.

Nebraska Centennial Commission. Nebraska Art Today; a Centennial Invitational Exhibition. Omaha, Joslyn Art Museum, 1967.

Olpin, Robert S., William C. Seifrit, and Vern G. Swanson. Artists of Utah. Salt Lake City, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1999.

Opitz, Glenn. Dictionary of American Sculptors: "18th Century to the Present," Illustrated with Over 200 Photographs. Poughkeepsie, NY: Apollo, 1984.

Pearson, Ralph M. Experiencing American Pictures. New York, London, Harper & Brothers, 1943.

Rugoff, Milton. Encyclopedia of American Art. New York, NY: Dutton, 1981.

Samuels, Peggy and Harold Samuels. The Illustrated Biographical Encyclopedia of Artists of the American West. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1976.

Saunders, Richard H. Collecting the West: the C.R. Smith Collection of Western American Art. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1988.

Shaff, Howard and Audrey Shaff. Six Wars at a Time: the Life and Times of Gutzon Borglum. Sculptor of Mount Rushmore. Sioux Falls, SD: Center for Western Studies, Augustana College, 1985.

Smith, Rex Alan. The Carving of Mount Rushmore. New York, NY: Abbeville Press, 1985.

Southwest Art. Red Book Price Guide-1997 Western American Art. Houston, TX: Cowles Enthusiast Media, 1997.

Steiner, Raymond J. The Art Students League of New York: a History. Saugerties, NY: CSS Publications, 1999.

Steinfeld, Cecilia. Art for History's Sake: the Texas Collection of the Witte Museum. Austin, TX: Texas State Historical Association for the Witte Museum of the San Antonio Museum Association, 1993.

Sturgis, Hollister. Angels and Urchins: Images of Children at the Joslyn. Omaha, NE: Joslyn Art Museum, 1981.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, and William C. Seifrit. Utah Painting and Sculpture. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1991.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, and Wlliam C. Seifrit. Utah Art. Layton, UT: Peregrine Smith Books, 1992.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, Donna Poulton, and Janie Rogers. Utah Art, Utah Artists. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 2001.

Troccoli, Joan C. Painters and the American West: the Anschutz Collection. Denver, CO: Denver Art Museum, 2000.

Vincent, Stephen. O California! : Nineteenth and early twentieth century California landscapes and observations. San Francisco, CA: Bedford Arts, 1990.

Periodicals

Houston, Joe." American Views from Rockford Museum." American Art Review, June.

Mather, Frank J. "The Expanding Arena". Magazine of Art, vol 39, (November 1946). 305.

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 Last Modified 5/25/23