Harvey Dunn (1884-1952) is one of South Dakota's most famous and noted artists. He is beloved by many in the state for the power and spirit of his prairie pioneer paintings. The imagery he created as a war artist in WWI is some of the most compelling and popular because of its honesty and starkness. But Dunn's biggest claim to fame, the one that spread his images across America and served as the foundation of his practice, is his work as one of America's foremost illustrators during the Golden Age of Illustration.
This exhibition features illustrations by Harvey Dunn from the collection of the South Dakota Art Museum. For the first time in its history the museum is also sharing reproductions of the publications these illustrations were printed in. Visitors are invited to sit down, read the stories and marry words and images together, as a reader would have when the stories were originally published. We hope that this historical context will provide visitors with a new perspective and deeper appreciation for the artistry of Harvey Dunn.
