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William Herbert “Buck” Dunton: A Mainer Goes West
June 17, 2023 - June 6, 2024
The exhibition “William Herbert ‘Buck’ Dunton: A Mainer Goes West” is organized jointly by the Phoenix Art Museum and the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos, New Mexico. This exhibition aims to explore the work of William Herbert “Buck” Dunton, a member of the Taos Society of Artists (TSA). Established in 1915, the TSA played a pivotal role in creating and popularizing images of the western United States, and Dunton was an integral part of this influential group.
Although Dunton was born and raised in Maine, the exhibition highlights how his childhood experiences, particularly summers spent in the rural Maine countryside, influenced his art. Despite his eastern roots, Dunton became known for painting subjects and scenes of the American West, contributing to the constructed mythology of the region.
Dunton’s career saw both commercial and critical success, with exhibitions at prestigious venues such as the National Academy of Design, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the 1924 Venice Biennale. However, the exhibition notes that his work has received limited individual attention and analysis in a broader art-historical context.
“William Herbert ‘Buck’ Dunton: A Mainer Goes West” provides an intimate examination of some of the artist’s most significant paintings. Additionally, the exhibition fosters a dialogue between Dunton’s practice and that of his peers and collaborators within the Taos Society of Artists. This approach allows visitors to appreciate Dunton’s contributions in the context of the larger artistic community and explore connections with other artists associated with the TSA.
