Artwork
Dawn in the Land of the Buttes
Dawn in the Land of the Buttes is an ink print by George Elbert Burr. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Dawn in the Land of the Buttes is a 1920 etching on wove paper by American artist George Elbert Burr, capturing a serene desert landscape at dawn.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a tranquil American West scene: a flat desert under a pale sky, distant jagged rock formations, and scattered shrubs, embodying Burr’s thematic focus on Western landscapes.
Technique & Style
Burr employed etching to achieve sharp, textured marks. Tight, repeating lines create a near three-dimensional effect, particularly in the rocky formations.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1920, the work is characteristic of Burr’s career-long emphasis on etchings and drypoints of desert and mountain regions.
Context
Part of a broader early 20th-century artistic interest in the American West, Burr’s piece reflects the era’s fascination with the region’s natural beauty.
Legacy
While specific legacy details of *Dawn in the Land of the Buttes* are not highlighted, it contributes to Burr’s recognized body of work in American printmaking, especially in capturing the West’s landscapes.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
George Elbert Burr (April 14, 1859 – November 17, 1939 ) was an American printmaker and painter best known for his etchings and drypoints of the desert and mountain regions of the American West.
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