April 17, 2024
Howard Terpning, American Artist
Howard Terpning, American Artist - Description
Howard Terpning is an American artist best known for depicting the American West and Indigenous Americans. A member of the National Academy of Western Art and emeritus of the Cowboy Artists of America, Terpning is recognized for his paintings, drawings, and prints. He is also known for his commercial illustrations featured in magazines, advertisements, and movie posters. His most famous artworks include Search for the Renegades, Among the Spirits of the Long-Ago People, The Lonely Sentinel, and Woman of the Sioux.
Howard Terpning, American Artist - History
Howard Terpning was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1927. As a child, his family frequently moved throughout the Midwest, spending stints in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Texas. Upon his return from military service in 1946, he enrolled at the Chicago Academy of Fine Art. Upon completing his degree, he began coursework at the American Academy of Fine Art.
Terpning joined the studio of Haddon Sundblom, a professional illustrator. After spending three years working as an illustrator in Milwaukee, he returned to Chicago and began his own freelance business in 1962. Terpning worked as a commercial illustrator for 25 years, producing illustrations and advertisement art for many magazines, including Time, McCall’s Newsweek, and Reader’s Digest. He also created drawings used for movie posters, like The Sound of Music, Doctor Zhivago, and The Guns of Navarone.
In 1974, Terpning began exploring his interest in the American West and Indigenous culture within his artistic practice. Three years later, he relocated to Tucson, Arizona. In 1979, he was elected to the National Academy of Western Art and, shortly after that, joined the Cowboy Artists of America (CA), two groups dedicated to western art.
In 2003, he became an emeritus member of the Cowboy Artists of America. Over the past 40 years, Terpning has won numerous awards for his western art paintings. His work has been featured in exhibitions across the country. He continues to paint scenes of the American West and Native American peoples.
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Howard Terpning, American Artist - Identification & Value
Howard Terpning created thousands of works of art, including paintings, preparatory sketches, drawings, and prints. Common motifs within his practice include Native Americans (particularly Plains nations), law enforcement officers and other colonists, portraits, and travel.
Terpning's style is representational, often narrative. Within Western Art circles, he is sometimes referred to as the "Storyteller of the Native American." His artworks frequently document the disappearance of native ways of life, paying homage to the American West. He is regularly praised for his accuracy and compassionate depictions of Native American traditions and culture.
Original Terpning artworks are occasionally available on the market. When considering any original work of art, always seek information regarding the object's provenance, authenticity, and attribution. Prints and reproductions of Terpning's work are widely available and vary significantly in value. Generally speaking, high-quality prints in good condition, signed and numbered, and produced by a recognized printmaker will be more valuable than mass-produced reproductions.
There is currently no catalogue raisonné of Terpning’s work.
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Howard Terpning, American Artist - Signature
Howard Terpning’s signature is often limited to surname only, written in right-tilted cursive script, often with the full four-digit year denoted directly below.
Identify your Howard Terpning, American Artist Signature.
Further Reading on Howard Terpning, American Artist
Books and Periodicals
American Masterworks of Howard Terpning: Highlights from the Eddie Basha Collection by Kirsty Buchanan.
The Art of Howard Terpning by Elmer Kelton and Howard Terpning.
Terpning: Tribute to the Plains People by Harley Brown.
Web Resources
American Masterworks of Howard Terpning: Highlights from the Eddie Basha Collection. www.rockwellmuseum.com.
Howard Terpning. www.cowboyartistsofamerica.com.
Howard Terpning, C.A. www.eddiebashacollection.com.