J. T. Harwood (Utah, 1860-1940)
Born, in 1860 in Lehi, Utah, J. T. Harwood was a renowned pioneer of Utah art. In 1888, at the urging of mentors George M. Ottinger and Danquart A. Weggeland, J.T. Harwood was among the first envoy of Utah-born LDS artists sent to Paris to study art. There, he attended the Académie Julian where he received classical training.
Around the turn of the century, Harwood split time between Utah and Paris. Harwood began teaching art classes in Salt Lake City and eventually became the head of the University of Utah’s art department, following in the footsteps of an early mentor, George M. Ottinger. Much of Harwood’s paintings from this period depict landscapes of both Utah and France.
When artists take on the responsibility of teaching, it’s common for them to lose focus on their own work, dedicating more time and resources to the classroom. However, for Harwood, his new position as an art instructor at Salt Lake City High School had the opposite effect. He became more prolific and began a series of paintings featuring City Creek Canyon, located east of Salt Lake’s Capitol Hill, just a short distance from his new job.
Oil on panel
20 x 14 in.
