The West of the Imagination

The second edition of a landmark publication on western American art has been thoroughly revised to expand on the original, packing in nearly five hundred images in color and black and white, including over 150 new ones. Using these illustrations the authors discuss the changing myth of the West, from values to art, using art as a medium for discussing the West's evolving image. It will appeal not just to art history holdings at the college level, but to any collection strong in American history and Western history in particular.

While I had to use this book for a class I particularly wasn't interested in - Western and Cowboy Art - with this book, I have actually began to appreciate its contents for what they are. The book has some amazing paintings and sculptures included as well as details about the artists and information about the art included within the book as well as some other art by the artists. It has a good sampling of Western art from George Caleb Bingham to Frederick Remington and has a wide variety each artists work so the reader can get a good idea of how the artist worked and what sorts of pictures they favored. I only gave it 4 stars because of the subject matter, but all in all, a very good book.

As of this writing (Aug. 2002) this fine book is out of print, and shouldn't be. It is an informative and well illustrated survey covering almost 200 years of pictorial representations of the American frontier. Because of my interest in the mythology that developed around the cowboy, I found the chapters on Frederic Remington, Charley Russell, and Buffalo Bill Cody especially absorbing. Magazine illustrators who further developed imagery of the "wild west" are represented here in discussions of N. C. Wyeth and Maynard Dixon. On a parallel track, the authors give a chapter to the early silent Westerns, highlighting the careers and contributions of Tom Mix and William S. Hart (a precursor of Clint Eastwood). Another chapter is devoted to the Hollywood Western during the sound era noting similarities between Remington's imagery and that of director John Ford. There's also a discussion of the evolution of western movie themes from "The Virginian" (1929) to "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" (1969).This book is a rewarding study of the American West as its visual artists inspired the imaginations of people around the world. Definitely worth having.

An outstanding work by an outstanding scholar. I too am a former student of Dr. Goetzmann -- twenty years or so ago. His work really changed the way I look at America -- American history and American landscape. Try to rent or buy the PBS television show this book went with....

I first read this book as a student in Dr. Goetzmann's undergraduate class at the University of Texas at Austin. Although not an Art History major, this is the best course I have ever taken. The book is an excellent compilation of the influence of History/Culture on the Art of the American West. There is also a PBS series which accompanies this book. I highly recommend both. I keep this book on my coffee table, and enjoy reading it regularly.