Shotgun Art
 

Spent a couple of hours this afternoon in Chattanooga at the Hunter Museum of Art. Ran across an interesting piece of 1878 art that caught my eye. Garry Gordon can probably educate us on this one. Note the skeleton steel buttplate

Seems to me the fellow using the muzzle-loading shotgun has done admirably well for himself despite not having the latest equipment.






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This exact image was also reproduced on a trade card. I have one in my collection; in tiny script on the extreme left hand bottom margin "Sunshine Pub. Co., Philadelphia" appears. The reverse side reads, "Compliments of H.E. Bailey, Corner Drug Store, Unadilla NY." Reminiscent and reminds me of the full-color Parker Bros. trade cards showing live pigeon ring shooting and other images (see pp. 843-844 of TPS).

I'm surprised no one has offered answers to the 'quiz' at the end of the 'factsheet' accompanying the painting. So, let's see what we can offer by way of answers:

Q: "What do you think this caption means?"
A: It is a diluted, underemphasized poke at the transitional period overtaking the US economy and subsequent lifestyle changes cascading down from the brink of the industrial revolution of the mid-to late 1860s - 70s. (Do Parker Bros. and Colt ring a bell"). Delivered in the best of 'asleep at the wheel' style of contemporary, artsy-fartsy journalism of the day.

Q2: "Who do you think is giving the advice?"
A 2: Obviously the "modern" hunter - notice he has no birds slung over his shoulder or on the ground at hand - probably letting his 'country cousin" know that he and his equipment (possibly a Henry Holland 6-bore or better yet a Tonks of Boston 4-bore muzzle loader) is hopelessly out of date entering the "New World" of game shooting guns. Once again, probably delivered in the tone of the jolly, beetle-collecting vernacular of Victorian England viz. the 'blood sports". (Although Earle was a thoroughly American artist).

Q3: "Who is in need of guidance?"
A3 : Seems to me the modern sport could take a lesson from the marsh homeboy, given that nice sling of geese and whatever other mixed bag he's got slung over his shoulder. Plus, he has a much better 'go-to-hell' hunting hat!

The front stuffer fellow has a look of bemused indifference.





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Earle's most well know work was the The Dutch Boy Painter which is the logo of Dutch Boy Paint.

I suppose we could juxtapose a Parker collector into this painting, comparing his double gun to say the modern hunter with a Benelli auto. Is newer always better? Are we moving from antiquated to new? Is the classical being replaced by the popular? Could we even go deeper and compare the conservative views of our population being replaced by the liberal? Are moral values being replaced by the amoral?

Yikes, Reggie, those are some significant questions! And I have no answers to any of them. I've looked at Earle's work, at least what I could find of it, and he is definitely an accomplished painter. I'll bet the painting that you saw was more of an illustration than straight out art work, but who knows(?) The fact that it was turned into a lithograph for publication in a newspaper suggests that. It would be interesting to find the paper that used the reproduction to see how it was employed.

Earle was/is not part of the mainstream art historical canon, as were hundreds of artists of merit over time. That does not mean to suggest that they were not accomplished or that their works are second rate. Many of the sporting artists we (at least I) like are not part of the canon. It makes getting good information on them more difficult.

The work definitely has a message, and I think your updated questions can certainly be inferred from the painting.

Now, how about a painting of two bird hunters, one with a Damascus barreled BHE 16 (straight/splinter, two triggers, of course) and another with a BHE 20 (0 frame) with 32" barrels meeting on the prairie of Kansas to follow a couple of Gordon setters through the fields? That would be a painting worth viewing, eh? (BTW, the first half of that painting is reality...let me know when the second is also).

Garry I am not sure the BHE 20/32" will ever make the picture, but there is a BHE 20/30", straight/splinter, double trigger choked C/M that might complete that scene!

A BHE 20/30 as described would be "picture perfect!" Better jump on it. Wild Bobs wait for no man (nor does Time).

Already did..........................:cool: