18 Historic Works Under $10K

Whether you’re a budding collector hunting for original historic pieces, an established connoisseur seeking unique finds, or simply a fine art lover, these 18 works are some of the best buys in the Gallery.

Nicolai Fechin (1881-1955) - Farm Boy, Ed. 1/50, lithograph, 16 x 12 in. - $4,500

Eyes alight with curiosity, this young boy radiates with life under the ever-skilled hand of painter and woodcarver, Nicolai Fechin. Today, Fechin’s outstanding works remain some of the most sought-after pieces in the region.

Hans Paap (1890-1967) - Penasco, New Mexico, oil on canvas, 17 x 17 in. - $7,500

Known for his adventurous palette and broad brush strokes, Hans Paap’s work holds both historic significance and timeless sensibility. This pastoral landscape is stunningly serene, yet retains the artistic edge that’s a thread through all Paap’s paintings.

Robert Lougheed (1910-1982) - Late Spring Snow, oil on canvas, 9 x 16 ½ in. - $8,500

A consummate painter of wildlife, Robert Lougheed was respected for his contributions to fine art, but also saw great success as a commercial artist. He famously designed the flying red horse logo for Mobil Oil.

Dick Mason (1951-1993) - Folly of Bulls (1991), acrylic/charcoal/canvas 48 x 36 in. - $9,500

Santa Fe-based painter Dick Mason pushed two-dimensional art to its limits, often adding depth through optical illusions, papier mâché, and other background elements. Folly of Bulls in all its intrigue captures many such aspects of Mason’s work.

Fremont Ellis (1897-1985) - Idaho Falls, watercolor on paper, 8 x 10 ½ in. - $3,800

A founding member of the early Santa Fe artist colony group, Los Cinco Pintores (The Five Painters), Fremont Ellis is one of the most collectible historic painters in the Southwest. Known for his lively, highly textured landscape paintings, Ellis brings his unique style to this watercolor.

Allan Haozous Houser (1914-1994) - Song Makers (1994), Ed. of 60, bronze, 5 ½ x 6 x 6 in. - $6,500

One of the most influential American sculptors of the 20th century, Allan Houser inspired generations of Native American artists to pursue fine art. Houser was a generous mentor and instructor, and his style echoes through contemporary pieces of those who followed in his footsteps.

Gerald Cassidy (1879-1934) - Old Times, watercolor & gouache on paper, 17 x 11 ¼ in. - $7,500

A classically trained painter from Kentucky, Gerald Cassidy first laid eyes on the glorious Western landscape while recovering from pneumonia in an Albuquerque sanitarium. His work would focus on the peoples of the Southwest thenceforward, leading him to settle in Santa Fe as one of the big names drawing more artists to the region.

Gene Kloss (1903-1996) - Far Across the Rio Grande (1939), Ed. of 75, etching, 10 x 14 in. - $4,000

Gene Kloss and her husband first visited Taos for their honeymoon in 1925 and fell in love a second time–with the remote mountain village. Kloss would spend 2-4 months a year in Taos (until settling there in 1960), sharpening her skills as a printmaker and painter with the natural beauty, light, and culture so abundant around her. 

Will Shuster (1893-1969) - Deer Dance and Luminarias, etching, 7 ¾ x 9 ½ in. - $2,400 (SOLD)

Will Shuster was drawn to Santa Fe by the arid climate, where his doctors believed he would pass away more peacefully from the tuberculosis he developed after being gassed in WWI. Instead, he slowly recuperated and found community in the art colony. He became one of the members of Los Cinco Pintores and founded the annual burning of Zozobra in his backyard–a beloved event that celebrated its centennial this September.

Carl Von Hassler (1887-1969) - Near Red River NM (1948), oil on canvas, 18 x 24 in. - $6,000

Often called “The Dean of Albuquerque Artists”, Carl Von Hassler returned from WWI to eventually settle in New Mexico. Once there, he threw himself into learning about the local plants, animals, and peoples, notably Navajo culture. Von Hassler was an expert landscape painter, fastidious with his color choices, and always working in plein air, expressing the changing seasons and light with utmost fidelity.

W. Herbert Dunton (1878-1936) - Taos Pueblo Indian Girl (1931), Ed. of 100, lithograph/paper, 16 x 11 in. - $3,000

Herbert “Buck” Dunton was a lifelong lover of nature and the rugged West, professionally rendering its peoples and scenes from the age of 16. Dunton eventually moved to Taos at the urging of his colleagues and became a founder of the Taos Society of Artists, focusing on preserving the beauty of the untouched West for posterity through his work.

Howard Cook (1901-1980) - Cottonwoods (1968), watercolor on paper, 8 ¼ x 20 ¾ in. - $6,000

Howard Cook was a multi-talented artist who spent time in Taos among many great artists of the day. There he met and married artist Barbara Latham, who joined him on travels creating murals for the New Deal. At the height of WWII, Cook was assigned to an art unit in the Pacific Theater, where he dutifully captured the drama of wartime in a series of watercolors, which were featured in a traveling exhibition: The Army at War: A Graphic Record by American Artists.

Raymond Jonson (1891-1982) - TripTych, acrylic on panel, 12 ¾ x 12 ¾ in. Each panel (SOLD TOGETHER) - $5,500

Modernist painter Raymond Jonson was a lauded figure in New Mexican art, famous for his abstract interpretations of Southwestern landscapes. He founded the Transcendental Painting Group (TPG) along with Emil Bisttram and was a longtime professor at the University of New Mexico, whose art gallery today bears his name.

Barbara Latham (1896-1989) - Bear Family (1937), woodcut, 12 ½ x 10 ½ in. - $975

Barbara Latham graduated from the Pratt Institute in New York City in 1919 before embarking on her career as a greeting card illustrator for the Norcross Publishing Company. On assignment in Taos, Latham fell in love with the small town—and with artist Howard Cook, whom she married in 1927.

Arthur Haddock (1895-1980) - Storm Over Monument Valley (1946), watercolor on paper,  10 ½ x 10 ½ in. - $4,200

Though Arthur Haddock was featured in a number of exhibitions during his lifetime, Haddock never earned his living as an artist. A humble and private man, Haddock worked as a night clerk for railroads and as a framer for other artists’ pieces, perfecting his own paintings in his free time. To avoid the pressures of professional artist life, Haddock kept most of his work to himself, considering each piece practice rather than a finished product.

Arthur W. Hall (1899-1981) - Women Walking (Untitled), watercolor on paper, 14 x 17 in. - $4,500

Etcher and painter Arthur W. Hall first studied at the Chicago Institute of Art, where he met his wife, artist Norma Bassett Hall. After serving in WWI, his talents grew significantly from his intensive studies in the mountains of Southern France. Hall took these skills home with him, eventually settling in Santa Fe with his wife in 1942, where they remained the rest of their lives.

Doel Reed (1894-1985) - Picuris Pueblo Winter (1954), aquatint/paper, 10 ¼ x 16 in. - $4,200

Often referred to as the Father of Aquatint, Doel Reed was an artist in many media before falling in love with printmaking in Europe. Reed was a beloved art instructor at Oklahoma State University, where he introduced printmaking to generations of students before eventually retiring in Taos. Today, OSU art students can stay at Reed’s home in Taos for art fellowships.

Emil Bisttram (1895-1985) - In Coming (1950), lithograph, 9 x 9 ½ in. - $2,800

Ever the enigmatic artist and intellectual, Emil Bisttram was interested in philosophy, spirituality, technological advances, geometry, and more–all referenced in his works. Bisttram was a deep thinker and bound many of his passions together in transcendent modernist paintings and prints, often using symmetry and form to express higher meanings.

These works and many others are available at Nedra Matteucci Galleries in Santa Fe. For pricing and more information, please email inquiry@matteucci.com or call us at (505) 982-4631.