Terpning: Tribute to the Plains People by Harley Brown

Many collectors and critics in the world of western art consider Howard Terpning a living master; some go so far as to declare him a national treasure. The contributors to Terpning: Tribute to the Plains People are certainly part of this group. The book was designed to accompany a retrospective exhibit of the same name that opened at the Autry National Center in May 2012. Despite its title, the volume is more a tribute to Howard Terpning as an individual and artist than a tribute to Plains people.

The book is divided into four chapters written by Harley Brown, with brief essays from collectors of Terpning’s work. Throughout are reproductions of the paintings included in the exhibit (although the book lacks an exhibit checklist) with short descriptions also written by Brown. The chapters are dominated by Terpning’s biographical details, with the focus on his time as a professional illustrator and his transition into life as a full-time fine artist. Even though Terpning’s subject matter is largely the Native people of the Great Plains, Brown’s commentary is far more concerned with Terpning’s technique and process as an artist. Stuart Johnson of Settlers West Gallery wrote the introduction, and Apiniokio Peta (Darrell R. Kipp), a member of the Crow tribe and longtime friend of Howard Terpning, penned a foreword.

Throughout the book—in the chapters, the letters from collectors, and the text accompanying each image—contributors make much of Terpning’s commitment to historical research and his desire to paint detailed and “authentic” portraits of Plains Indian life. The foreword offers some insight into Terpning’s relationships with the Crow people and his experiences among them, providing a clear sense of strong bonds between the artist and the community. As a resource to historians, however, the book could have been improved by a deeper exploration of the background and historical research Terpning undertakes and of his connections to the Crow people. Unfortunately, little to no insight is given into these aspects of Terpning’s work, and many questions remain: What kinds of sources does he consult? How does he consider and weigh new perspectives on Plains history? How have his experiences among the Crow people shaped his subject matter? What role does oral tradition play in research? Without such insight, readers might be left with the impression that Terpning is painting scenes and people as they actually happened. Rather, his paintings, as with all artists, are the product of experience, research, and most significantly, imagination.

It is important to remember that Terpning: Tribute to the Plains People was intended as a catalog to accompany a retrospective exhibit. The text of the book is a celebration of Howard Terpning’s life and work rather than a critical analysis or a scholarly resource for those researching Plains Indian cultures. As such, the book, which includes 120 full-color plates of Terpning’s paintings, will appeal to collectors and admirers of the artist’s work.