Minerva Teichert
Minerva Teichert is widely regarded as one of the most talented American artists of the 20th century. Her colorful and imaginative artwork has been the subject of countless exhibitions and publications over the years, and her influence on the artistic world continues to this day. In this blog post, we will dive into the world of Minerva Teichert's art and explore some of her personal photos.
Teichert was born in North Ogden, Utah in 1888, and grew up with a deep appreciation for art. She attended classes at the LDS College in Salt Lake City, and later the Art Institute of Chicago, where she studied with some of the most famous artists of the time. However, it was her return to Utah that truly set the stage for her career as an artist. She married her husband Herman Teichert in 1918, and together they raised five children while she worked tirelessly to hone her craft.
One of Teichert's most famous works is her depiction of the Book of Mormon, which is a series of 44 large-scale paintings that illustrate the story of the Book of Mormon from beginning to end. Each painting captures a specific moment in the story - from the arrival of Nephi and his family in the promised land, to the climactic battle between the Nephites and Lamanites. The paintings are now housed in the BYU Museum of Art, where visitors can see them in person and appreciate the time and effort that went into their creation.
Teichert's art is known for its bold and vibrant colors, which she often used to bring her subjects to life. Her paintings are also marked by their strong sense of narrative, as each one tells a story or captures a moment in time. Whether she was painting scenes from the Old Testament or depicting the wild west, Teichert always sought to capture the essence of her subjects and bring them to life in her artwork.
Despite the challenges she faced as a woman in the male-dominated world of art, Teichert rose to fame and established herself as a force to be reckoned with. Her legacy lives on through her art, which continues to inspire and captivate audiences around the world.
In conclusion, Minerva Teichert was a truly remarkable artist whose work has had a lasting impact on the world of art. From her colorful and imaginative paintings to her depiction of the Book of Mormon, Teichert's art is a testament to her talent and creativity. We hope that this brief overview has given you a sense of the incredible achievement of Minerva Teichert, and that you will take the time to explore some of her artwork for yourself. We have found what we believe are all the publicly available photos of Minerva Teichert. They are reflective of her entire life.
More Details from the Life of Minerva Teichert
If you were a resident of Cokeville, Wyoming, during the mid-20th century and needed to purchase a pint of cream, you likely strolled down Main Street until you reached the end. There, you would find the Teichert residence, serving as both a bustling ranch house and the boundary between town and the open fields and western hills beyond. Your knock on the door would summon Minerva Teichert, a white-haired woman with her signature headband, who would warmly greet you and appreciate the diversion from her daily chores.
The nature of the chores she mentioned would depend on the time of day you visited. In the morning, she might be attending to the dishes after preparing breakfast at 6 a.m. for her large family and ranch workers. Around midday, she might be occupied with tasks such as cleaning milk bottles, churning butter, or forming soap bars. In the afternoon, you might encounter her in an apron, with pockets filled with seeds for her flock of 75 chickens.
Upon entering her high-ceilinged front room, you'd immediately notice the scent of linseed oil in the air. Your gaze would be drawn to the painted canvases, each in various stages of completion, adorning the room's largest available wall. Nearby, you'd spot paintbrushes and a palette, evidence of her ongoing artistic endeavors. Curiosity would lead you to inquire about the paintings, and in return, you'd depart the Teichert home not only with your pint of cream but also with a captivating story. These stories could range from tales of pioneer courage to ancient Indian rituals or perhaps the desert journey of Lehi.
Minerva Teichert was more than just a rancher's wife and a homemaker. She was a storyteller at heart, a teacher whose most eloquent form of expression lay in the bold brushstrokes adorning the walls of her entry room. Today, while Minerva Teichert may no longer be selling cream at the end of Main Street in Cokeville, her stories of the American West and her faith continue to thrive. You can now discover her stories in galleries and art exhibitions, such as the one at BYU's Museum of Art titled "Pageants in Paint," which explores how Teichert incorporated storytelling techniques from pageants into her murals. Altogether, her paintings not only recount the stories she depicted but also her own remarkable journey.
Minerva Teichert's life was lived at the intersection of rustic and refined, bridging the gap between the frontier and cultured society. Born in 1888, she spent her formative years on a remote homestead near American Falls, Idaho. From a young age, she explored the countryside on horseback, sketching her observations of Native Americans, wildlife, and landscapes in charcoal and pencil. Her parents supplemented her sporadic formal education by reading literature, history, and even the complete works of William Shakespeare aloud to her. She considered her time on the Idaho homestead as the most critical part of her artistic training.
Minerva's artistic ambitions took flight when, at the age of 14, she spent a summer in San Francisco working as a nursemaid. There, at the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art, she witnessed the creation of great art for the first time. After graduating from high school, she supported her father's mission to Europe and later her own art studies at the Art Institute of Chicago by teaching and doing manual labor. In Chicago, she earned the nickname "Miss Idaho" and studied under accomplished draftsman John Vanderpoel, who taught her the intricacies of the human body's anatomy.
The influence of renowned portraitist Robert Henri played a significant role in shaping Minerva's art. Henri encouraged his students to love reality and shun photographic representation, emphasizing the use of large brushes, loose strokes, and the avoidance of overworking compositions. Minerva combined Henri's teachings with her training in figure drawing and mural techniques, infusing her work with her unique Western sensibilities and a style that remains instantly recognizable.
Her path to becoming a renowned artist was not without challenges. In a pivotal moment, Henri asked her if anyone had ever told the great Mormon story through her art. When she replied in the negative, Henri proclaimed that it was her duty to do so, effectively commissioning her to tell the story through her paintings.
Despite the allure of a successful career in the art world, Minerva Teichert chose love and family over art. She married Herman Teichert, a cowboy, and opted for a life that balanced her roles as a wife, mother, and artist. Her love for her family and her art was unwavering, and she often stated, "I must paint," seeing her artistic drive as an insatiable compulsion. This drive persisted even when confronted with obstacles such as her ranching duties, lead poisoning from her paints, and declining eyesight in later years.
In 1927, the Teichert family left their log cabin in Idaho, which was destined to be submerged by a reservoir, and settled on a ranch in Cokeville, Wyoming. There, Minerva finally had the large wall space she had always dreamed of, which would serve as the canvas for her ongoing murals. These murals became a defining feature of her artistic expression, and she created them in her signature multitasking style, often adding brushstrokes between her chores or even adjusting clocks to manage her time effectively.
The 1930s marked a turning point in her career when her art began to bring financial relief to her struggling family during the Great Depression. She ventured to Salt Lake City and found an agent in Alice Merrill Horne, a prominent art dealer in Utah. This partnership led to significant recognition and exhibitions of her work, effectively saving the Teichert ranch from economic turmoil.
Despite facing financial hardships, Minerva's unwavering commitment to her family remained evident. She turned down opportunities for further education and international study trips to prioritize her role as a mother and wife. Her dedication to her family was matched only by her dedication to her art.
In 1947, Minerva Teichert received a remarkable commission to paint the Manti Utah Temple's world room mural. This mural deviated from the usual portrayal of a barren desert wasteland and depicted a grand procession of people from diverse cultures, emphasizing the theme of man's inhumanity to man. She completed this massive mural in just 23 days, impressing both temple authorities and observers with her talent and dedication.
By 1952, Minerva had painted 42 large works illustrating stories from the Book of Mormon. She had grand hopes for these paintings to accompany the Book of Mormon text, be used by missionaries worldwide, or even be published as a book of paintings. However, these dreams went unfulfilled as she struggled to find buyers for her Book of Mormon paintings, despite their widespread praise.
Several factors contributed to the decline of Minerva Teichert's influence in Mormon art during the late 1940s and 1950s. The passing of her dear friend and mentor, Alice Merrill Horne, in 1948 left her without her most trusted critic and art agent. Additionally, changing artistic tastes saw a decline in the popularity of murals, and other artists like Arnold Friberg were commissioned by the Church to paint the Book of Mormon.
However, even as her influence waned, Minerva Teichert continued to paint. Her works, especially those with Western themes, found appreciation outside of Utah. She remained dedicated to her calling as an artist and teacher, imparting her knowledge and passion for art and scripture to her family and anyone
who visited her.
In 1970, an accident left her unable to paint, and she passed away in 1976 in a nursing home in Provo, Utah. In the months following her death, a renewed interest in her art emerged within the Mormon community. Her Book of Mormon paintings were rediscovered and showcased, murals were restored and displayed, and her artistic legacy was celebrated through exhibitions and retrospectives.
Today, Minerva Teichert's art continues to captivate audiences, and her legacy is cherished, particularly in her hometown of Cokeville. Her unique ability to tell stories through art and her unwavering commitment to family and faith make her a beloved figure in the world of American art and Mormon history.