02.17.24 Gustave Baumann

Gustave Baumann
And The Grand Canyon

By Rebekah Powers | September 2023

Gustave Baumann will be best remembered for his color woodcut prints, awash in pigment. The rural landscapes and cottonwoods of the Southwest were forever transformed in his hands. Wherever he lived, he created art, but when he came to Taos in 1918 he found a new passion and it never left him. How a young German boy became one of the Southwest’s most important artists may be explained by Baumann’s personal seal: an open palm with a heart in the center.

Born in Magdeburg, Germany in 1881, the artist died in Santa Fe in 1971, having lived over 50 years there becoming an indelible part of the community as well as leaving a bounty of beauty, wonder and awe. His old world craftsmanship combined with a modern sensibility and lifted him onto a world stage, even though the artist preferred to call his studio a “workshop”.

“Taos Placita” – SOLD

Such was his fascination for the Grand Canyon that he traveled there on several occasions to draw and paint. One of the most recognizable images from the resulting series is a color woodcut recently acquired by Chimayo Trading.

“Grand Canon” is best appreciated in person, where the subtle color shifts and perspective communicate the wonder and awe felt by an artist from half a world away who came here with an open hand and heart and was adopted into the culture. It is a little known fact that Gustave Baumann carved the first Zozobra head for what became an annual Santa Fe celebration.

“Grand Conyon” – SOLD

If you would like to visit “Grand Canyon” through the eyes of Gustave Baumann, Chimayo Trading del Norte is open every day, one step off of Highway 68 and you take a step back in time, where History Meets art in Taos.

“Aspen Thicket” – SOLD

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#1 Saint Francis Church Plaza
Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557

575.758.0504

We buy individual pieces or whole collections.

Contact us for the evaluation and resale of your collectible art.
We’re interested in locating relevant collections and original New Mexico artwork for purchase. We buy historic and contemporary relevant paintings, pottery, jewelry, textiles, weavings and more.

Contact us directly to discuss and evaluate your collection. If you’re an artist, contact us about the possibility of selling your art on consignment or direct wholesale purchase.

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