Customer Reviews

Charles Fritz: An Artist with the Corps of Discovery

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In his exuberant landscapes, intricate historical details, and striking portrayals of the members of the "Corps of Discovery" (and some of the people they met on their journey), Charles Fritz makes the case for being *the best* Western painter yet -- matching, if not surpassing Russell, Remington, and Moran.

If you are a fan of Lewis and Clark, this is a book you need. If you have followed the Lewis and Clark route, you know that most of the campsites are under water behind dams or otherwise vastly changed by human developments. The explorers were able to leave us journals, but not photos. . Here you can follow the journey through Charles Fritz's paintings, quotes from the journals, and sufficient text for easy understanding. Fritz is a very good artist. He also has an excellent talent for analyzing and visualizing events and locations long gone. The paintings reflect a lot of research. To my eye, they accurately reflect the dress of the explorers, the boats they used, the horses and packs, the Indians, and the environs. I particularly appreciated the detail given to the various Indian dwellings and tools. The publishing quality is top of the line. Best of all, these paintings are simply beautiful.