GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Like many artists working in the Southwest during the Dust Bowl years, Lester was profoundly affected by the destruction of arable lands. Three Crosses transmutes the sacrifice of the land into the story of the Passion of Christ, offering the hope of resurrection in the form of a living vine emerging from the ruined earth. Three crosses and the skull and crossbones allude to the New Testament narrative of the Crucifixion of Christ and the two thieves; however, the stark landscape is not Golgotha, the place of Christ’s execution, but is recognizably Texas. The painting thus becomes both a record of the hardship endured by the victims of drought and a testament to their enduring spirits.
Drawn from
- William Keyse Rudolph, Label text, 2005.
- DMA unpublished material.
NOTES
Created in 1935-36
See catalogue in PICTION-- Catalog from the exhibition, 'William Lester: Paintings,' November 30-December 28, 1947, held at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. Includes: list of artworks in the exhibition, biographical note, selected images.
An Exhibition of Paintings by William Lester, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, November 30 through December 28, 1947
Exhibition: Lone Star Regionalism :The Dallas Nine and their Circle 1928-1945, February 3, 1985-July 10, 1988
Three crosses and the skull and crossbones allude to the New Testament narrative of the Crucifixion of Christ and the two thieves; however, the stark landscape with barbed wire is not Golgotha, the place of Christ’s execution, but is recognizably Texas. This painting is one of several works chosen to represent Texas at the “American Art Today” exhibition of the 1939 New York World’s Fair.
William Keyse Rudoph, July 2005
Like many artists working in the Southwest during the Dust Bowl years, Lester was profoundly affected by the destruction of arable lands. Three Crosses transmutes the sacrifice of the land into the story of the Passion of Christ, offering the hope of resurrection in the form of a living vine emerging from the ruined earth. The painting thus becomes both a record of the hardship endured by the victims of drought and a testiment to their enduring spirits.
Label from the Dallas Nine folder in the education files (DMA unpublished material)
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Depicted location and place of origin: Texas (state/United States): TGN: 7007826
Place of origin: Southwest (general region/United States): TGN: 4010660
Process/materials
Oil on Masonite
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1937: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, gift of the New York World's Fair Department of Contemporary Art [1]
[1] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933 was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- The Gilcrease Museum~View a related work by one of Lester's peers, Alexandre Hogue.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1937.24
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General Description
Like many artists working in the Southwest during the Dust Bowl years, Lester was profoundly affected by the destruction of arable lands. Three Crosses transmutes the sacrifice of the land into the story of the Passion of Christ, offering the hope of resurrection in the form of a living vine emerging from the ruined earth. Three crosses and the skull and crossbones allude to the New Testament narrative of the Crucifixion of Christ and the two thieves; however, the stark landscape is not Golgotha, the place of Christ’s execution, but is recognizably Texas. The painting thus becomes both a record of the hardship endured by the victims of drought and a testament to their enduring spirits.
Drawn from
- William Keyse Rudolph, Label text, 2005.
- DMA unpublished material.
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Notes
Created in 1935-36
See catalogue in PICTION-- Catalog from the exhibition, 'William Lester: Paintings,' November 30-December 28, 1947, held at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. Includes: list of artworks in the exhibition, biographical note, selected images.
An Exhibition of Paintings by William Lester, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, November 30 through December 28, 1947
Exhibition: Lone Star Regionalism :The Dallas Nine and their Circle 1928-1945, February 3, 1985-July 10, 1988
Three crosses and the skull and crossbones allude to the New Testament narrative of the Crucifixion of Christ and the two thieves; however, the stark landscape with barbed wire is not Golgotha, the place of Christ’s execution, but is recognizably Texas. This painting is one of several works chosen to represent Texas at the “American Art Today” exhibition of the 1939 New York World’s Fair.
William Keyse Rudoph, July 2005
Like many artists working in the Southwest during the Dust Bowl years, Lester was profoundly affected by the destruction of arable lands. Three Crosses transmutes the sacrifice of the land into the story of the Passion of Christ, offering the hope of resurrection in the form of a living vine emerging from the ruined earth. The painting thus becomes both a record of the hardship endured by the victims of drought and a testiment to their enduring spirits.
Label from the Dallas Nine folder in the education files (DMA unpublished material)
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Depicted location and place of origin: Texas (state/United States): TGN: 7007826
Place of origin: Southwest (general region/United States): TGN: 4010660
Process/materials
Oil on Masonite
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1937: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, gift of the New York World's Fair Department of Contemporary Art [1]
[1] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933 was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
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