Coeur d'Alene Art Auction - July 2021

– 164 – 209 Frank Tenney Johnson (1874–1939) The Horse Thief (1925) oil on canvas 26 × 38 inches signed lower right: F Tenney Johnson 1925 VERSO Label, Biltmore Galleries, Scottsdale, Arizona Label, Christie’s, New York, New York According to Harold McCracken, “The ranchers and cowboys made a practice of hunting down the rustlers as they would predatory animals.… Furthermore, among the most active rustlers and horse thieves were some of the roughest, toughest, and most dastardly men who ever rode the range in a saddle. Their whole purpose was based on plans to outsmart the most expert of the legitimate old-time cowboys; and this added considerable zest and determination to apprehend the rustlers and eliminate them from the scene.” PROVENANCE Chicago Athletic Association, Chicago, Illinois Christie’s, Los Angeles, California, 2001 Private collection, Arizona Santa Fe Art Auction, Santa Fe, NewMexico, 2005 Private collection, Texas $300,000–500,000