Captain John Hance, born 1840

Just completed a portrait of the true-life character of the Old West: Captain John Hance. Basically, he lived on a cliff over-looking the Grand Canyon and built its first trails. The writer, Edith Sessions Tupper, says this about him:

"All the way from Albuquerque you have heard of John Hance. You have read about him in all the guidebooks you have bought. People whom you meet tell you all about the flap-jacks he will cook for you at the canyon camp. You constantly hear references to 'Hance's Trail', 'Hance's New Trail', 'Hance's Old Trail', 'Hance's Peak', and 'Hance's Cabin' until you wonder if John Hance owns the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. When you get to Flagstaff the air is still filled with confused murmurs of Hance. You come to have a sort of 'See Hance-and-die' feeling and are a little uncertain whether you have come thousands of miles to see the Grand Canyon or John Hance of Arizona."

Captain John Hance, 50" x 38" Pastel on 320g paper

Detail