Taft Museum

Cincinnati, Ohio

(513) 241-0343

Henry F. Farny

The Song of the Talking Wire, 1904

oil on canvas, 22 1/8 x 40 inches

Bequest of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Phelps Taft

Photo: Tony Walsh

Song of the Talking Wire, which Farny painted in 1904, exemplifies the theme and serves as the centerpiece for the exhibition. The wintry backdrop, setting sun, buffalo skull, and deer carcasses slung across the horse all contribute to the feeling of a doomed Indian confronting the inevitable white expansion in the form of the row of telegraph poles.

As with most of his works, Farny created this painting in his studio from sketches and artifacts collected on his trips west. The image illustrates aspects of Indian life that the artist witnessed; the buffalo was nearly extinct (the last hunt of the northern plains was in 1883), making the Indians dependent on government rations.

Return to Taft Museum

Photos and text courtesy of Taft Museum.

Be sure to visit more of the Resource Library with museum exhibition news, stories on American art, calendars, and more. Here are links to selected sections of the magazine:

• Feature Stories Indexed by Publication Date
• Museum Exhibition Stories Indexed by Institution
• Other Exhibition Articles Indexed by Organization
• Illustrated Articles by Subject
• Museum Calendar of Exhibitions
• Milestones
• Appraisals, Authentication, Conservation
• Art Law by Ann Avery Andres
• Art Sellers' Showcase
• Books, Magazines, Videos & CD-ROM's
• Cameos of Historic American Art Collections
• Distinguished Artists
• Dunbier on Fine Art Valuation
• The Plein Air Scene by Sarah Beserra
• Table of Contents
• Advertising Options
• Do You Like Resource Library? Recommend-It (tm) to a Friend or Colleague!

Copyright 1996-1999 Traditional Fine Art Online, Inc. All rights reserved.

• Site Guide for TFAOI
• Links