George Phippen (American, 1915-1966) Moonlit Ride, 1958 Oil on canvas laid on board 24 x 30 inches (61.0 x 76.2 cm) Signed and dated lower left: Geo Phippen / [...] / '58 PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT TEXAS COLLECTION PROVENANCE: Altermann Galleries & Auctioneers, Santa Fe, New Mexico, March 30, 2012, lot 194; Private collection; Altermann Galleries & Auctioneers, Santa Fe, New Mexico, November 17, 2013, lot 25; Private collection, Texas, acquired from the above. The first president of the Cowboy Artists of America, George Phippen is known as a traditional Western painter and sculptor. He was born on a farm in Iowa and was raised there and in Kansas. He taught himself to paint while in service during World War II. After finishing his stint in the military, Phippen moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he studied with Henry Balink for three months. Successful as a commercial artist and illustrator, he began oil painting in 1948 while selling works for Christmas cards and calendars. Phippen was called "the cowboy's artist," because his "cowboys look like men we have all known. They aren't handsome, but they sure did know cow." (P. and H. Samuels, Samuels' Encyclopedia of the American West, New York, 1988, p. 372) HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved See More