Henry Lavender Adolphus Culmer (Kent, England, 1856 - 1914, Salt Lake City).
H.L.A. Culmer was the first artist to see and paint Utah’s southern regions. An explorer, civic leader, writer, and entrepreneur, he used art to promote knowledge and development of Utah. Preceding the establishment of the United States National Parks Department in 1905, this painting, Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, was made by Culmer as a result of his exploration of Southern Utah and subsequently displayed at the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904. The work led to commissions from National Geographic Society to further explore and depict Utah’s natural wonders.
Provenance
1904 World’s Fair
Collection of Colonel Edwin F. and Suzie Holmes (a.k.a. Amelia’s Palace) Salt Lake City, Utah
Private Collection
30 x 40 inches unframed
41.5 x 53 inches framed
Watercolor on paper
